Rasmus’ unusual run-scoring day

Lost amid the excitement of the St. Louis Cardinals’ first four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves since August 1989, the six-RBI day of third baseman David Freese and the ten-run offensive explosion for the club despite Albert Pujols being nailed to the bench was Colby Rasmus’ unusual game on Thursday.

Rasmus scored in the fifth inning Thursday (AP/Jeff Roberson)On Thursday, cleanup hitter Rasmus completed the rare feat of scoring four times despite having just two official at-bats.

The 23-year-old second-year centerfielder wasn’t bothered by moving up into the number four spot with Pujols being rested and Matt Holliday in Albert’s number three hole. After all, Rasmus not only leads the Cardinals in OPS, he is first in the entire National League. It was a place in the lineup in which he had hit during a considerable part of the spring while Holliday was sidelined by injury.

The four runs scored was Rasmus’ career best and the Cardinals are 11-0 this season in games when Colby crossed the plate.

On Thursday, two of Freese’s six RBI were scored by Colby.

  • First inning: Rasmus singled and scored on a Freese home run.
  • Fourth inning: Rasmus walked and scored on a Yadier Molina single.
  • Fifth inning: Rasmus intentionally walked and scored on a Freese double.
  • Seventh inning: Rasmus singled and scored on a Joe Mather ground out.

Just how rare was Rasmus’ day?

Scoring four times in just two official at-bats has occurred only four prior times in Cardinals team history. Jim Edmonds did it in 2005 and Edgar Renteria accomplished it the year prior, but it had happened just once in the preceding 76 years. Solly Hemus, later to become St. Louis’ manager, scored five times in two at-bats in May 1953.

Cardinals player, scoring four or more runs in two at-bats, game, team history

Player Date Opp Rslt PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB BOP Pos
Colby Rasmus 4/29/2010 ATL W 10-4 4 2 4 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 CF
Jim Edmonds 7/18/2005 MIL W 11-4 4 2 4 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 CF
Edgar Renteria 7/2/2004 SEA W 11-2 5 2 4 1 1 0 0 1 3 0 2 SS
Solly Hemus 5/20/1953 PIT W 11-6 5 2 5 2 1 1 0 0 3 0 1 SS
Taylor Douthit 1928-07-04 (1) CHC W 11-6 5 2 4 2 1 0 0 0 3 1 CF

Thanks to statistician Tom Orf for providing the data table shown immediately above.

Footnote: The ten-run day on Thursday was just the second double-digit scoring game for the Cardinals this season and the first since they battered Cincinnati pitching for 11 runs on opening day.

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