The Pujols Strikeout

After the Padres took the lead in the top of the 7th, Allan Embree came in to work against Chris Duncan (who had already homered). After Embree struck out Duncan, Cla Meredith came in to finish off the seventh. The first batter Cla faced would be Albert Pujols.

Here is that at-bat:

• Channel 4 broke away from the action to put up a chart and as they came back, we saw that pitch 1 was a ball outside (I’m unable to determine what type of pitch was thrown here).
• 1-0 Cla throws a back-door sinker that comes back and catches most of the plate, Pujols takes – 1-1
• 1-1 Cla throws another back-door sinker that starts further off the plate and stays off the plate, Pujols takes – 2-1
• 2-1 Cla throws another sinker, this one starts on the upper-inside part of the plate and heads south and back towards right-handed batter’s box, Pujols swings and chops it foul behind him – 2-2
• 2-2 Cla throws what looks like a hanging slider (or a change – does Cla throw a change) that stays up and out of the strike zone, amazingly Pujols stays on top of the pitch and pulls this one foul down the third-base line… - 2-2
• 2-2 Knowing that Cla throws a slider, having yet to see a good one, and realizing that he’s set up for one, Pujols swings awkwardly at a sinker that starts on the upper-inside corner of the plate dives towards Pujols back leg. As I said last night, Pujols looked more uncomfortable on that pitch than I’ve probably ever seen him look.

Amazing!