Today, October 17, marks an important anniversary.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and go back to 2005 for a minute.
The St. Louis Cardinals were fighting for their lives against the resurgent Houston Astros, down 3-1 in the NLCS.
In the ninth inning, the Cards found themselves down 4-2 and down to their final strike.
But a base hit by David Eckstein and a walk to Jim Edmonds kept the inning alive for Albert Pujols.
Brad Lidge got a strike on his first pitch to Pujols, putting St. Louis just two pitches away from elimination.
But on Lidge’s 0-1 delivery, Pujols got a hold of one and sent it way up onto the train tracks at Minute Maid Park, giving St. Louis a 5-4 lead.
17 years ago today, Albert Pujols hit a baseball into orbit and silenced the Houston crowd ☄️ pic.twitter.com/YkzQOYOCSG
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 17, 2022
A Flair For The Dramatic
When looking back at Pujols’ legendary career, this is one of the moments that stands out.
At the time, Pujols was by far the best player in all of baseball, and he came up big when the Cardinals needed him the most.
He was always the guy that the Cardinals could count on in key spots.
In this game, he saved the Cardinals season and got them one final game at the Old Busch Stadium.
And the ball traveled pretty far as well.
The second it left Pujols’ bat, there was no question in anybody’s mind that it was gone.
The crowd in Houston was completely stunned as the Cards had given themselves a new life.
While the Cardinals still ultimately lost the series, this was one of the greatest moments in team history, as well as in Pujols’ storied career.
17 years have gone by quickly, but nobody has forgotten Pujols’ towering home run off Lidge.
NEXT: Cardinals Honor The Memory Of Bruce Sutter