Molina Delivers “Prime Time Moment” At Milestone Launch For Yadi Waino Battery

ST. LOUIS – As was often the case during Adam Wainwright’s years on the mound, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina helped his good friend’s cause with significant contributions with his bat and Gold Glove defense from behind the plate.

On a day when Molina and Wainwright tied the AL/NL record for starts with a battery with 324, the veteran catcher hit his first home run in nearly four months and added a second in the fourth inning. It wasn’t enough for the Cardinals, however, as Wainwright didn’t have his best stuff in a 11-6 loss to the Nationals in front of 40,437 fans at Busch Stadium.

“[Molina] allowed me to spit the hook today,” Wainwright said of Molina’s offensive firepower that helped him avoid defeat on his personal record. “I told you it was coming [with Molina] and in the end we knew he would be here. He’s a prime-time player and they show up at prime-time moments.”

Washington hit one run in the sixth, two in the seventh and four in the ninth — all after a shaky Wainwright was pulled five innings.

Molina smashed a double-barreled home run in the second inning 403 feet down the left field line to give the Cardinals an early 3-1 lead. The blast, Molina’s first since May 15, left the slugger at 103.6 mph — his fourth-hardest hit of the season, according to Statcast. His home run in the fourth inning — a 350-foot line drive that barely crossed the wall on the left — tied the game to 4 and gave him nine multi-home run games in his career.

Molina’s last multi-home run game was on April 17, 2021 in Philadelphia. Oddly enough, only two of his nine multi-homer games in 19 seasons with the Cardinals have come in St. Louis. The last at Busch Stadium was on May 14, 2017 against the Cubs.

Molina, teammates with Wainwright for the past 18 seasons, arrived Thursday with 333 hits in Wainwright-started games — the most hits in MLB history by a catcher in games started by a pitcher. Additionally, Molina’s 19 game-winning RBIs are the third most in MLB history by a catcher in games thrown by a pitcher. Molina, who has already announced this season will be his last, played his best baseball in September. After Thursday’s loss, he’s 9-for-16 this month with two home runs, three doubles and seven RBIs.

Wainwright and Molina equaled the AL/NL record of 324 starts set by Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan and set with the Tigers from 1963–75. Wainwright, 41, and Molina, 40, started together for the first time against the Astros on April 6, 2007 in Houston, and Thursday’s game marked their 20th start of the season. Coincidentally, Lolich and Freehan made their final starts for the Tigers 47 years earlier on the same September 8 that Wainwright and Molina set their record.

“It’s something special to deal with [Wainwright]and next time we will do it here in Busch and it will be a very special day for us,” said Molina of the record 325th start, which will take place in St. Louis on Wednesday.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol added, “Personally, I don’t think that record will ever be equaled again. The longevity of both careers [of the pitcher and catcher] to be good for so long, to stay together for so long, to stay loyal to an organization for so long, the odds are so slim.”

Wainwright, who cited mechanical problems with his delivery as the reason for his struggles, was drawn with a tie at 4 after five innings and he didn’t deserve a decision in Thursday’s game. The veteran right-hander allowed nine hits and four earned runs while striking two.

A lighthearted moment came in the fourth when Wainwright – a two-time Gold Glove winner – was knocked back by a Keibert Ruiz line drive. Wainwright understandably flinched, but the ball landed in his glove. He dropped the liner but threw for the first time. Afterwards, Wainwright laughed as he tried to watch a replay on the Busch Stadium video board but missed it each time.

Wainwright and Molina came into play Thursday as the most successful battery in MLB history with 212 wins in their starts together. Warren Spahn and Del Crandall, stars with the Braves from 1949-63, are second with 202 wins in their starts.

The Cardinals’ early lead vanished in the fourth inning when Nationals left fielder Alex Call drilled a double down left field to overstay two runs and put Washington 4-3 ahead. Wainwright arrived Thursday with a 2-1 record and a 2.92 ERA in his last four starts.

“Everyone knows [Wainwright] is our horse,” said Molina. “The last few games haven’t been how he wanted them to be but everyone knows he’s our horse and our ace and we trust him.”