Yadier Molina teased him as he crossed the plate, the “little brother” playfully throwing dirt at his feet.
The Cardinals in the field who do not know the thrill of playing with Pujols but have been taught to appreciate his legacy stood respectfully in their positions.
Dan McLaughlin’s voice boomed from the TV broadcast booth. “He gave us 11 years of memories we will never forget. He’s just given us another.”
This one belongs up there with the spring-training blast that Pujols put into orbit above Disney as he forced his way onto the team in 2001, with the home run that derailed Brad Lidge, with the three-homer game at Wrigley Field (and the other in the World Series), with his ‘Buddy Walk Day’ heroics, with all of the high-stepping, spine-tingling, voice-stealing swats he thrilled Cardinals fans with 463 times between regular and postseason games.