ST. LOUIS — While Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina would have preferred to come out of their record-tying start together with a win, they nonetheless inched closer to breaking one of baseball's most unique marks on Thursday.
With start 324 together as a pitcher and catcher battery, Wainwright and Molina tied the Tigers' Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan for the most starts as a battery in baseball history.
The record-breaking 325th start is expected to come at Busch Stadium on Sept. 14 against the Milwaukee Brewers, but the pair are already reflecting on their impressive record.
"It's been a good run. He's an incredible player, teammate, friend and partner in crime. We've been together for a long time, so we've got to finish strong. Nobody celebrates tying anything, well maybe they do a little bit, but they celebrate more when they win," Wainwright said after the game Thursday.
"It is special. We know what the deal is. We know it's tough to break and we enjoy it. Right now it's a special moment for us. It's great," Molina said. "We care about each other. I've said this many times, we've been through the up and downs. To do it with him it's just amazing. I'm glad I'm here with him and healthy."
It was a big day for Molina at the plate, where the catcher doubled his season home run total with two blasts against the Nationals.
Wainwright had a tough day on the mound, allowing four runs in five innings in the Cardinals' loss.
Molina has been hot for the Cardinals lately as the team entered the September playoff push, and his batterymate knew this version of Yadi was bound to show up when it mattered most.
"I just think he likes winning. And he likes being on winning teams and winning World Series. I think he feels that right now and can kind of smell that a little bit. Plus he just wasn't himself for most of the year. He was trying to find it, and now he's taking good swings taking tough at-bats and spitting on pitches and when he's doing that we know he's good," Wainwright said of Molina.