There is zero doubt that 41-year-old/21-year MLB veteran Albert Pujols will be enshrined in the sacred Halls of Cooperstown in his first year of eligibility after he retires … IF he ever retires, that is. There is also zero doubt that when that historic day happens, he will undoubtedly enter The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum wearing a St. Louis Cardinals hat, for no other reason than many (most) of his Hall of Fame-worthy accomplishments occurred during his 11 seasons in St. Louis.

There is one milestone, however, that the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native and 13th-round draft pick in 1999 by the Cardinals out of Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, MO reached that will forever be remembered as being set while he was wearing Dodger Blue.

On Tuesday night, Pujols collected his 3,300th career hit off of Colorado Rockies veteran right-hander Jhoulys Chacín at mile-high Coors Field – a game-winning pinch-hit single up the middle in the top of the 10th inning to drive in placed-runner Gavin Lux from second base – to give the Dodgers a very much needed 5-4 win; very much needed because the NL West first-place San Francisco Giants also won their game against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night by a score of 6-5 at Petco Park to maintain their one-game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West with only 11 games remaining in the 2021 regular season.

“It’s huge,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts answered when asked how important it has been to have Pujols available off the bench against left-handers this season. “And I think that he’s been a lefty-killer, he’s on the roster for that reason. But the bottom line is that when guys were in scoring position, he knows how to drive in a run regardless of handedness. And he knew, he had a plan going into that at-bat, and I lost count how many ribbies he’s driven in throughout his career, but there’s a heartbeat component to it, an approach component, and that’s why I trust him in virtually any spot.”

“I got my routine that I have every day,” Pujols answered when asked how he prepares for pinch-hit at-bats with the game on the line. “And I smell it a little bit when I think I’m going to get in the game, and I get myself loose and get ready to play.

“You know, I come to the ballpark every day whether I’m not in the lineup or playing, just get ready to play because you just never know,” he added.

Smells good to me.

Play Ball!

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