'Slugfest Saturday' continues on MLB Network
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MLB Network is rolling out another rendition of "Slugfest Saturday" this week, re-airing seven contests that featured noteworthy offensive performances.
The coverage -- which includes 22 homers, 122 runs and four walk-offs -- will begin with a spotlight on Albert Pujols and some of his most notable moments with the Cardinals. That will be followed by a couple high-scoring walkoffs, a crazy 10-run inning and an epic Interleague battle at Coors Field.
Here's the full Saturday schedule (all times ET):
8 a.m.: Pujols hits three homers -- Pirates vs. Cardinals from Sept. 3, 2006
The day begins with Pujols putting on a show with a three-homer game against the Pirates. The slugger homered in each of his first three at-bats -- all against Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell -- for the third three-homer game of his career. He has since added another, though all four of his three-homer efforts came as a member of the Cardinals.
Pujols wasted no time taking Snell deep in this one, connecting for a solo homer in the first inning that also marked his 40th of the season. He later added No. 41 in the third and No. 42 in the fifth before stepping to the plate in the seventh against reliever Brian Rogers with a shot a four-homer game. Pujols instead flied out, though he went on to finish the year with a career-high 49 home runs.
10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.: Play Ball (Pujols)
Hosted by Harold Reynolds and additional MLB Network analysts, this half-hour show will feature one-on-one baseball demonstrations and conversations with Pujols. Each week, Play Ball will also include tips on how kids can participate in all forms of baseball activities.
10:30 a.m.: Pujols walks it off -- Cubs vs. Cardinals from June 4, 2011
During his time in St. Louis, no team felt the wrath of Pujols' bat more than the Cubs. He hit .302 with 53 homers against Chicago while wearing a Cardinals uniform, and he put a punctuation on that dominance during a particular two-day stretch in June amidst his final year with the Cards. It started in this June 4, 2011, contest in which Pujols opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the fourth -- and closed it with a walk-off shot in the 12th.
Though that was his first career walk-off homer against the Cubs, he wouldn't have to wait long for his second ...
12:30 p.m.: Pujols walks it off ... again -- Cubs vs. Cardinals from June 5, 2011
After hitting a 12th-inning walk-off homer to lift the Cardinals over the Cubs on June 4, 2011, Pujols did it again the very next day. He didn't make the hometown fans wait quite as long this time around, instead clubbing a walk-off homer to lead off the bottom of the 10th. In doing so, Pujols became the first player since Albert Belle in 1995 to hit walk-off homers in back-to-back games.
1 p.m.: Chipper walk-off ends slugfest -- Phillies vs. Braves from May 2, 2012
This game was the ultimate back-and-forth affair, ending with Hall of Famer Chipper Jones clubbing a walk-off homer in the 11th inning. Jones' walk-off aside, just the way that this contest even ended up making it to extras is worth watching.
The Phillies jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning, a seemingly solid cushion with another Hall of Famer on the mound in Roy Halladay. Atlanta, however, put together a six-run fifth to tie it, then took an 8-6 lead in the sixth. The Phils responded with six straight runs of their own to reclaim a 12-8 lead, only to have the Braves score five more in the eighth to take a one-run edge into the ninth. Down to their final out, the Phillies plated the tying run on an infield single, though Jones' two-run homer two innings later finally put an end to the battle.
3 p.m.: Texas wins walk-off thriller -- Angels vs. Rangers from July 30, 2013
Come to see Mike Trout reach base safely in all six of his plate appearances, but stay for the Texas-sized comeback and walk-off. Trout went 4-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and a pair of walks in this one, helping the Angels take an 11-7 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Rangers, however, rallied with three runs in the eighth before Adrián Beltré delivered a game-tying single with the club down to its final out in the ninth. It wouldn't remain tied for long, as Leonys Martin crushed a walk-off three-run homer in the 10th to give Texas the victory.
5 p.m.: 10-run inning keys comeback -- Cardinals vs. Reds from July 19, 2019
The Reds appeared to be cruising toward a victory over the division rival Cardinals on July 19, 2019 at Great American Ball Park -- but then the sixth inning happened. Cincinnati took a 7-0 lead into that fateful frame, but came out trailing by three after three Reds pitchers combined to allow 10 runs off seven hits, one walk and an error. José Martínez capped the rally with a go-ahead three-run homer en route to a 12-11 victory for St. Louis.
7 p.m.: Colorado outslugs Bronx Bombers -- Yankees vs. Rockies from June 14, 2016
It was hard to see this game turning into a high-scoring slugfest in the early innings. The Rockies led just 1-0 through three frames, and the Yankees were yet to get on the board as the game moved into the sixth with Colorado leading 6-0. Didi Gregorius finally got the Yankees' offense going with a three-run homer, only to have the Rockies answer with three runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings to make it a 12-3 game.
It was far from over, however, as the Yankees rallied for seven runs in the eighth. Strangely enough, the Bronx Bombers got it done with some small ball at hitter-friendly Coors Field, scoring those seven runs without the benefit of an extra-base hit. Despite the rally, the Rockies held on for the wild 13-10 win.