Lost amid the historical splendor of Albert Pujols’ performance in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series is the achievement of Yadier Molina.
Though it pales in comparison to the hitting of Pujols (the first Cardinals player with three home runs, five hits and six RBI in a game), Molina also accomplished a franchise standard in Game 3.
Molina is the first Cardinals catcher with four RBI in a World Series game.
Molina produced a two-run double in the fifth inning off reliever Scott Feldman, a sacrifice fly in the sixth off Mike Gonzalez and a RBI-double in the eighth off Mark Lowe in the Cardinals’ 16-7 victory over the Rangers Oct. 22. Boxscore
The historic performance by Molina continues a remarkable year for him at the plate. In the regular season, Molina hit a team-best .305, with 32 doubles, 14 homers and 65 RBI.
Until Game 3 of the 2011 Series, Molina had played in 10 World Series games over three years (2004, 2006 and 2011) and had produced just one RBI. That came on a double in Game 4 of the 2006 Series against the Tigers. Boxscore
Tim McCarver and Joe Garagiola had held the Cardinals’ record for most RBI by a catcher in a World Series game, with three. McCarver did it twice. As a broadcaster on the FOX telecast of the Cardinals-Rangers Game 3, McCarver witnessed Molina’s performance.
Here’s a look at the 3-RBI games by McCarver and Garagiola:
TIM McCARVER
In each World Series game in which McCarver drove in three runs, one swing produced the RBI each time.
In Game 5 of the 1964 World Series, McCarver hit a three-run homer off Yankees reliever Pete Mikkelsen in the 10th inning, snapping a 2-2 tie and carrying the Cardinals to a 5-2 victory. Boxscore
Four years later, McCarver launched a three-run fifth-inning homer off reliever Pat Dobson in the Cardinals’ 7-3 Game 3 victory over the Tigers in the 1968 World Series. Boxscore
JOE GARAGIOLA
One of three Cardinals in the game to get four hits (Whitey Kurowski and Enos Slaughter were the others), Garagiola drove in his three runs off three relievers in St. Louis’ 12-3 victory over the Red Sox in Game 4 of the 1946 World Series. Boxscore
Garagiola had a RBI-single off Jim Bagby in the third inning, a RBI-double off Bill Zuber in the seventh and a RBI-single off Mace Brown in the ninth.
