ST. LOUIS -- The last time the Angels' Albert Pujols homered at Busch Stadium, it was a championship season. When he did it Saturday, it wasn't the World Series, but it sure felt like it.
Pujols, 39, homered in the seventh inning off Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson, setting off another celebration in a weekend that's been full of them, all for a visiting player who left St. Louis nearly eight years ago.
"Trying to walk around the bases and get to the plate, and trying to get in the dugout and hold everything in," Pujols said. "Man, that was hard.
"It's gonna be up there for me -- for my career, for my family, my wife, Deidre, and my five kids and my friends and family that are here in town. It's just a moment that I will treasure forever."
It was Pujols' first long ball at Busch since he left the Cardinals after helping the franchise to its 11th World Series crown in 2011. Pujols returned to the ballpark in Friday's game, kicking off two days of standing ovations, tips of the cap and, after the homer, a curtain call.
Angels manager Brad Ausmus was asked if he had ever seen a curtain call for a player on the road team in a big league game.
"No," Ausmus said, after thinking it over. "I don't believe I have."
The Cardinals won the game 4-2, which made it easier for Pujols' old friends to enjoy the reunion.
"What a special moment for him, the whole stadium and really Cardinal Nation," Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. "Listen, he's an icon, a living legend. Very few of them have a chance to come back and perform."
Hudson said he was fine with the crowd's reaction.
"It's no disruption; the guy deserves that ovation," the right-hander said. "He's done a lot for this organization, and I think he's a staple as a Cardinal player."
It was Pujols' 111th career home run at Busch, the third venue in St. Louis to bear that name. That's 23 more than second-place Matt Holliday. It was his first time going deep in St. Louis since Sept. 22, 2011, a regular-season game against the Mets. Pujols homered five times during the Cardinals' championship run that season, but all came on the road.
Pujols' homer also set a record for dingers in interleague play, breaking the mark he shared with Hall of Famer Jim Thome (65). Pujols moved into a tie with Alex Rodriguez for the most career RBIs in interleague play with 216.
There was little doubt Pujols would make a curtain call as he rounded the bases amid a roar unheard for a player visiting the home venue of a fan base that likes to refer to itself as the best in baseball. He bounded up the steps almost immediately after returning to the dugout, setting off another round of raucous cheers.
"I came out right away," Pujols said, laughing. "I knew they were gonna wait for that. It's just a special moment."
Before that, as Pujols touched home plate, he performed his ritual of touching his chest and pointing to the sky with both hands. Standing nearby was catcher Yadier Molina, one of Pujols' former Cardinals teammates and one of his best friends. As Pujols crossed the plate, Molina literally brought him back to earth: He scooped up some dirt and threw it at Pujols.
But in this week of mass adoration in the Gateway City, Molina was only kidding around. After fessing up to the dirt toss, Molina said, "I'm happy for him."
Based on appearances at Busch Stadium on Saturday afternoon, so was the rest of St. Louis.
"Too bad we lost the game," Pujols said. "But we were able to do something special for the fans. It's been amazing."