St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick went 5-for-5 Friday night with two home runs, five RBI and three runs scored as his club doubled up on the Pittsburgh Pirates by a 14-7 score.
Here is how Ludwickâs big evening played out:
- First inning: RBI double
- Third inning: Solo home run (back to back with Matt Holliday)
- Fifth inning: Doubled to center
- Seventh inning: Singled to center and later scored
- Eighth inning: Three-run home run
The 5 hits x 5 RBI result for Ludwick is a fairly rare occurrence in Cardinals team history. It is only the fifth time a player put together a game like that in at least the last 55 years and only the third time the result was generated in just five plate appearances.
Each past occurrence was unique, though three of the first four were registered against the Cubs, while Smiths had two of them.
On September 15, 1965, Curt Flood had five hits in six at-bats, yet oddly did not cross home plate. Ten years later, Reggie Smith had a double and two home runs among his five hits, yet the Cardinals still lost the May 4, 1975 game.
June 17, 1993 marked the best run-producing five-hit Cards game since at least 1954 as Ozzie Smith plated six against the Cubs at Wrigley. Albert Pujols joined the five hit, five RBI list on July 20, 2004 also in Chicago. Albert slammed three home runs and scored four times that day, both bests on this list.
Five or more hits, five or more RBI, game, Cardinals (1954-2009)
| Player | Date | Opp | W-L | Score | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI |
| Ryan Ludwick | 9/4/2009 | @PIT | W | 14-7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Albert Pujols | 7/20/2004 | @CHC | W | 11-8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Ozzie Smith | 6/17/1993 | @CHC | W | 11-10 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Reggie Smith | 5/4/1975 | CHC | L | 6-8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Curt Flood | 9/15/1965 | @PIT | W | 7-3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
A tip of the cap to Tom Orf for the research.
Nice to see Reggie, Ozzie and Albert feasting on the Cubs.
It appears that Cards are going to give Lohse 4 starts on out. This is a bit different than yesterdays assumtions. That suggests a few interesting varibles and considerations concerning the over all wellbeing of the present rotation.
It might be worth thinking about what the Cards would do if Franklin flames out. That’s really the teams only glaring vulnerability, and I’m a believer in Murphy’s law. Smoltz, Lohse, Wainy?
I don’t see Franky flamming out. He might end up have a little “spell”,but he will contribute.
He is just suffering “after contract blues”. Its expected.
Couldn’t help but notice that both the new contract boys struggled in the ninth on Sunday…
So now Tony is looking at sitting Franklin the rest of the series, and Franklin is talking about how he’s never been in this situation a full year and how stressful it is. Contacticitis? Maybe, but maybe not. With no established set up man as the natural fill-in our achilles heel is exposed. Going into the post-season without having worked anybody out in the role of emergency fill-in closer seems imprudent. No time to figure it out in a best of five.Tony has less than a month to come up with Plan B. It would be sensible to try to get that worked out, but how without sending Franklin the wrong message?
They’re fine BB. The way to health for Smoltz and Lohse is essentially the same, thats why they aren’t choosing now. Lohse will be worthless unless he regains his confidence. Smoltz isn’t there yet either really. The team chemisry is gaining potency, which I think will norish all the players. Whats good is that Tony and Dave are aware of this. This is they’re strength.
Frankie casn be a great pitcher when he is balancing the fine line between all his pitches. He will never be the intimidator. Lohse has been a dominate pitcher when he is comfortable. If they get that back, and Smoltz keeps gaining swagger, we will feed all the way to the series.Our weakest element is 4+ runs in the first 3 innings by Joel. We won’t have to burn the pen or give up a playoff game with either of these guys as longmen. The best combination is Lohse as 4 and Smoltz as the setup man. Tony/Dave know this. But there is always the unforseen. Be honest. That show by Carpenter was between him and Wainwright for the CY. They’re great friends and that makes it fun, and contagoius. F the Cubs. They aren’t even worth lifting a leg on. But they will bring trouble……….just watch……….. and it may be just what we need to bond a stronger team image..
Good point about the Cubs, even reduced to roadkill status as they are. Lets not forget Smoltz has yet to shine against a quality opponent, and Lohse has proven nothing. Our offense remains unable to consistently produce more than a paucity of runs. So we will continue to rely on the closer for wins.
Wow, BB with a WCBW clone post and WCBW rebutting it. The fun never stops around here!
Join in CC. There is allot to learn. As anyone can read, I’m about a week ahead of your perceived reality. Nothing said here hasn’t proved true. That which represents contradiction for you should probably command more of your attention. I was up close with the Cardinals this week. Notice Albert staying back, and closed, not waiting in that rock back weightlessness. Sometimes just brushing hands with a master can create a true ecstasy which is the ultimate learning experience.
You’ll command my attention when Ludwick gets released.
I would still trade Ludwick for Orlando Hudson today. The Cards had a chance to slip Luddy’s arbitration money in March and sign Hudson. I said there was a 1/5 chance they might make that play. Its all ancient history now. We can see what they were really doing. You misrepresent that as if it makes you feel good. Enjoy.
“I am about a week ahead of your perceived reality.”
We agree that the timing thing is asymettric. You may be a weak ahead. Or maybe its the precisely same time, only within another galaxy.
Maybe this is a good thread for a moment of appreciation for WCBW. He works hard here, to share his thoughts.
What are some favorites?
Hal M. knows nothing of hitting? The always popular Luddy will be released prophecy? Deep oil, whatever that was supposed to be about? Conspiratorial paranoid fears about DeWitt? DeWitt being too cheap (this presciently before Daddy DeWitt splurged on Holliday and DeRosa)? Albert has lost confidence as a hitter? Wanting to trade for the 2nd baseman of the Dodgers, when our guys are sufficient? Daddy Dunc is not upset about Chris, its just a cynical salary drive? Violent disputes with paraochial school girls? The Louvre?
On and on and on.
Its been a fantastic, fantastic season. We fans have enjoyed every bit of it, right here, at the Cardinal Nation (blog). Best of all, its not over yet.
Your dad?………………………. Hal will be gone next year. They will partition Iraq, watch who backs the Sunni’s…. Bill did not splurge anything. He used Lugo’s salary money for 2010 to bring in Holiday. Thats a 9 mill in dry powder mystery next year. The concessions on Cardinal privileges food and bling must be astronomical. It is a nice party though. Skip is nice… a sport. Daddy Duncan is working an angle…….thats actually a “duh” jumbo. They were Ginnis models in catholic school girl outfits at the British Pub by the stadium. On tour. Yes there was a beautiful struggle. Good to have you back Jumbo. I’m a DeWitt supporter now, so don’t you say anything about him. You also win big points with the man from Rio. I’m watching the Yankee’s. With a well structured offensive plan, we should destroy them. …………………….. The Louvre? Thanks jumbo for sharing that nice memory.
We’re a team. We obviously could be better. I mean thats like a 1 and half player addition adding Holiday and the boys. What they brought is three “none Cardinal trained hitters”. That always helps. Pujols is now filtering out Hal again, returning to his early season stance and posture. Let us praise the Lord.
The Cards can afford to woo Holliday for next year, because nearly $40MM of contracts end after this season. Nothing to do with Lugo.
Lugo was obtained for Chris Duncan who was not a high salary guy. Since the Sox are paying Lugo’s salary, he is free for Mo. Maybe savings on Kid Duncan allowed us to pay for a month+ of Smoltz.
Models in school girl outfits. Nifty.
Let us praise Pelek the aborigine.
Yes lets us smoke together Pelek. The check was for 13.5 jumbo. Its our money even though they can call 2 back this winter. Why is that hard to understand. Watch Ferris Bueller Jumbo, its DeWitt’s favorite movie. I swear the redhead with the Irish accent Jumbo had the longest legs man has ever admired or measured with with any science I know of. The skirt was almost a belt.
This is the second most bizaar conversation I’ve ever heard. Must be a lot of backstory. Very entertaining.
What was the first BB? We have to have fun when things are going well. Jumbo hates it when there is nothing to stop people whining about.
In ’92 Ringo Star’s All Star Band stayed at the Hotel I was the night manager of. Joe Walsh came down at 2 am looking for booze. I opened the bar and gave him a half full bottle of Macallen. At 330 he asked me to drive him somewhere to buy a boombox, so I poured him into my 79 Pinto and drove him to Walgreens. The whole way there he was having a lively conversation with Art Garfunkel, who wasn’t there. I believe Palek was mentioned, as was Hurlburt the Unruly. That was the strangest. But not by much.
An excellent vintage in conversation and booze. The Rockie mountain way.