Albert Pujols had his fourth three-home run game on Sunday. Mark McGwire had just three as a St. Louis Cardinal.
When Albert Pujols slammed three home runs against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday at Wrigley Field, it became the first baseman’s fourth such game in his nine-plus years as a major leaguer. In doing so, he broke a tie with his hitting coach, Mark McGwire, for the most three-home run games by a St. Louis Cardinal player since at least 1952.
Together, the two had seven of the 12 three or more home run games by a Cardinal during that time. Hall of Famer Stan Musial is next with two. Of course, any such list would be incomplete without noting “Hard Hittin’” Mark Whiten’s chart-topping four home run, 12 RBI performance in 1993.
St. Louis Cardinals, three or more home run games, 1952-current
| Player | Date | Opp | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IBB | |
| Mark | Whiten | 9/7/1993-2 | CIN | W 15-2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Albert | Pujols | 5/30/2010 | CHC | W 9-1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Albert | Pujols | 9/3/2006 | PIT | W 6-3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Albert | Pujols | 4/16/2006 | CIN | W 8-7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Albert | Pujols | 7/20/2004 | CHC | W 11-8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark | McGwire | 5/18/2000 | PHI | W 7-2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| Mark | McGwire | 5/19/1998 | PHI | W 10-8 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark | McGwire | 4/14/1998 | ARI | W 15-5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Reggie | Smith | 5/22/1976 | PHI | W 7-6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Stan | Musial | 7/8/1962 | NYM | W 15-1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Bill | White | 7/5/1961 | LAD | W 9-1 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Stan | Musial | 5/2/1954-1 | NYG | W 10-6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
In another oddity unearthed by researcher Tom Orf, Pujols joined McGwire (4/14/98) as one of just 35 major league baseball players and second Cardinal since 1952 to hit at least three home runs in a game without making an out.
Three or more home runs without making an out, game, MLB, 1952-current
| Player | Date | Tm | Opp | Rslt | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | IBB | |
| Carlos | Delgado | 9/25/2003 | TOR | TBD | W 10-8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Rocky | Colavito | 6/10/1959 | CLE | BAL | W 11-8 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Albert | Pujols | 5/30/2010 | STL | CHC | W 9-1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Chris | Young | 9/6/2009 | ARI | COL | L 5-13 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Jose | Reyes | 8/15/2006 | NYM | PHI | L 4-11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Aramis | Ramirez | 4/8/2001 | PIT | HOU | W 9-3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Kevin | Elster | 4/11/2000 | LAD | SFG | W 6-5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Mark | McGwire | 4/14/1998 | STL | ARI | W 15-5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Jose | Valentin | 4/3/1998 | MIL | FLA | W 7-1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Bobby | Higginson | 6/30/1997 | DET | NYM | W 14-0 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Benito | Santiago | 9/15/1996 | PHI | CHC | W 6-1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Edgar | Martinez | 7/6/1996 | SEA | TEX | W 9-5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Andres | Galarraga | 6/25/1995 | COL | SDP | W 11-3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| Albert | Belle | 9/6/1992 | CLE | SEA | W 12-9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Bo | Jackson | 7/17/1990 | KCR | NYY | W 10-7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Randy | Milligan | 6/9/1990 | BAL | NYY | W 10-1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Cecil | Fielder | 6/6/1990 | DET | CLE | W 6-4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Joe | Carter | 7/19/1989 | CLE | MIN | W 10-1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Wally | Joyner | 10/3/1987 | CAL | CLE | W 12-5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Gorman | Thomas | 4/11/1985 | SEA | OAK | W 14-6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Ben | Oglivie | 6/20/1982 | MIL | DET | W 7-5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| Ben | Oglivie | 7/8/1979-1 | MIL | DET | W 5-4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Dale | Murphy | 5/18/1979 | ATL | SFG | W 6-4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Cliff | Johnson | 6/30/1977 | NYY | TOR | W 11-5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Willie | Horton | 5/15/1977 | TEX | KCR | W 7-3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike | Lum | 7/3/1970-1 | ATL | SDP | W 8-1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Bobby | Murcer | 6/24/1970-2 | NYY | CLE | W 5-4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Art | Shamsky | 8/12/1966 | CIN | PIT | L 11-14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steve | Boros | 8/6/1962 | DET | CLE | L 5-6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Willie | Kirkland | 7/9/1961-2 | CLE | CHW | L 8-9 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Charlie | Maxwell | 5/3/1959-2 | DET | NYY | W 9-2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Preston | Ward | 9/9/1958 | KCA | BAL | W 9-6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Frank | Thomas | 8/16/1958 | PIT | CIN | W 13-4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Ernie | Banks | 9/14/1957-2 | CHC | PIT | W 7-3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Dusty | Rhodes | 7/28/1954 | NYG | STL | W 10-0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
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