Pujols wins this game with his feet

DENVER -- Albert Pujols usually wins games with his power, not his wheels.

A hustling Pujols scored from second base on a groundout in the ninth inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

“I didn’t know he was that fast,” St. Louis starting pitcher Joel Pineiro said. “He looked fast there.”

Pujols, who was standing on second after a one-out double, was off on contact as Rick Ankiel grounded out to second baseman Jonathan Herrera.

When Herrera lofted a throw to Todd Helton, Pujols sped up heading around third, and slid just out of the reach of catcher Yorvit Torrealba, who lunged forward in an effort to tag him.

“It’s something you don’t practice; it just happens,” Pujols said. “Hopefully, you get lucky and don’t get thrown out. If you get [unlucky] and get thrown out, you’re in trouble with the manager.”