Albert Pujols went 4 for 5, blasting two home runs and driving in three, leading St. Louis to an 11-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the season opener for both teams.
Pujols tied the Cardinals’ club record for most hits on Opening Day and St. Louis set a team record with four home runs in the opener.
Pujols got the Cardinals on the board early, hitting his first homer to left center in the first inning off Reds’ starter Aaron Harang (0-1) to put St. Louis ahead 1-0.
He added a two-run shot off Mike Lincoln in the seventh, a line drive that cleared the rightfield wall by inches to give St. Louis a 6-3 lead.
Catcher Yadier Molina hit a grand slam to cap off a five-run ninth inning to put the game away. Only two other Cardinals have hit grand slams in season openers – Scott Rolen and Mark McGwire.
Colby Rasmus also homered for the Cards, a solo shot off Harang in the fourth. He made a spectacular catch of a Scott Rolen fly ball at the top of the centerfield fence in the sixth inning and added a run-scoring single in the Cardinals ninth inning.
St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter (1-0) picked up the win with six innings of work. Carpenter threw 88 pitches – 55 for strikes – while giving up two runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked no one.
The Cardinals and Reds will resume their three-game series on Wednesday with Adam Wainwright taking the mound for St. Louis while Johnny Cueto is scheduled to take the hill for Cincinnati.
