World Series 2011: Albert Pujols Launches 3 Historic HRs in Cardinals' 16-7 Romp

If you needed any more proof that St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols was the best hitter in the game, you got it on Saturday when he blasted three home runs in the Cardinals' 16-7 blowout of the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the World Series.

Pujols, who has hit at least 30 home runs in each of his first 11 seasons, ended up going 5-for-6 with six RBI and four runs in the game. He became the third player ever to hit three home runs in a single game in the World Series, joining Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson.

The Rangers, mind you, were supposed to be the better offensive team coming into the two squads' matchup. They scored 855 runs in the regular season, good for third in the league and nearly 100 runs more than the Cardinals.

But Pujols and Co. refused to bow down and are proving to be the better offensive team when it really matters.

It was supposed to be the Rangers who blew up in Texas. And, honestly, seven runs is nothing to sneeze at. But Pujols and the Cardinals are on a mission, and the worst part about is you can't give Pujols the Barry Bonds treatment because he has Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman batting behind him.

If the Cardinals keep hitting like this, they seem bound to win the next two games and capture the championship. They are a different team in makeup than the 2010 San Francisco Giants were, obviously, but they are very similar in the fact that they came to life once the postseason started.

The Rangers are in a precarious situation right now. They pitch to Pujols, they get blasted. They walk him, they have to deal with Holliday, Berkman and the rising David Freese.

One thing's for sure: Pujols was fuming after Game 2, and that steam never wore off.