Albert Pujols' Career Ends in Heartbreak as Phillies Eliminate Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals' storybook season came to an abrupt ending this weekend, as the Philadelphia Phillies eliminated the Redbirds from playoff contention Saturday night, defeating St. Louis 2-0. Albert Pujols recorded two hits in what is expected to be the final game of his career.

Future first ballot Hall of Famer Albert Pujols' career came to an abrupt ending this weekend, as the St. Louis Cardinals blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning, losing 6-2 at home to the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. Then on Saturday, the Cardinals were shut out at Busch Stadium 2-0, and the club was eliminated from playoff contention.

The Cardinals entered the National League Wild Card Series with a heavy homefield advantage against a team that struggled down the final stretch of the season. Friday, the Cardinals collapsed. Saturday, they failed to score a run with their season on the line.

Pujols did his part, going 2-for-4 with a pair of hard-hit, clutch singles late in Saturday's game, hoping to spark a Cardinals rally. But Cardinals National League MVP candidates Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado would combine to go 0-for-8, as each player left four men on base. The Cardinals, as a team, left nine men on base Saturday night.

Pujols was one of two Cardinals to record a multi-hit game Saturday, joining leftfielder Corey Dickerson.

The Cardinals' 2022 season had the feeling of the Chicago Bulls' The Last Dance, as Pujols and ten-time All-Star catcher Yadier Molina each announced their plans to retire before the start of the season. Others have speculated that 2022 could be starting pitcher Adam Wainwright's final year too.

A World Series title felt like the proper way to send the trio of Cardinals greats off into the sunset. What felt like a storybook season for the Cardinals came to a sudden end Saturday.

Pujols walked off the field for the final time in a Major League game, in the eighth inning, after delivering a clutch single, advancing Lars Nootbaar to second base. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol pinch ran Ben DeLuzio for Pujols, the game's tying run. The Cardinals would fail to cash in.

Then in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, Molina came to the plate as the game's tying run. He singled, advancing Dickerson to third base. But the Cardinals once again failed to cash in, losing 2-0.

Molina and Pujols each recorded singles to advance a runner in the final at bat of their careers. If they do indeed retire, they will do so as two-time World Series champions, multi-All-Stars, and two of the best to ever put on a St. Louis Cardinals uniform.