Cardinals honor Pujols, Molina in final regular season home game

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMIZ)

The St. Louis Cardinals did not get the win on Sunday afternoon against the Pirates, but the final score was nowhere near the focus of this game.

Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols played in their final regular-season home game at Busch Stadium after years of wearing the birds on the bat. Molina made his major league debut with St. Louis in 2004 and has been with the club ever since. Pujols, of course, had a ten-year hiatus on the west coast, but returned for his final lap.

Fittingly, Pujols hit his 702nd career home run in front of Cardinals fans on Sunday. With that home run, the slugger tied Babe Ruth all-time for runs batted in.

Before the game started, Pujols and Molina were both honored by fans, the front office, current and former teammates, and their families. The pair were both gifted with golf clubs, engraved plaques, and custom paintings, but one gift took them both by surprise. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones designated Oct. 4 as "Yadier Molina Day," in St. Louis, which will be directly followed by "Albert Pujols Day," on Oct. 5.

The Cardinals lost to Pittsburgh 7-5 on the heels of a rough outing for pitcher Adam Wainwright. Waino allowed six earned runs with just four strikeouts over four innings.

Up next - St. Louis will finish up the regular season on the road in Pittsburgh before playoff action begins.