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Albert Pujols’ legacy was already hallowed prior to his barrage on the World Series records list in Game 3 on Saturday night.

But could it get any better than this game?

The list of milestones from this contest was long and impressive. Let’s run through them.

• He’s the third player to have three home runs in a World Series game, joining Babe Ruth (1926 and 1928 New York Yankees) and Reggie Jackson (1977 Yankees).

• He’s the third player to have six RBI in a World Series game, joining Bobby Richardson (1960 Yankees) and Hideki Matsui (2009 Yankees).

• He’s the second player to have five hits in a World Series game, joining Paul Molitor (1982 Milwaukee Brewers). He’s also the first to have three games with at least four hits in a single postseason.
• He set a World Series record for total bases in a game with 14.

That’s just the beginning of the statistical superlatives for Pujols, who is now tied with Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson for fourth-most career postseason home runs (though Mantle has outhomered Pujols in World Series play, 18-4).

Was Pujols’ five-hit, three-homer, six-RBI game in Game 3 of the World Series the best offensive game in major league history?

It’s in elite company.

Since RBI were deemed an official stat in 1920, it’s the 16th game in which a player had five hits, three home runs, and six RBI in a game, the first in postseason history. The last player to have such a combination in a single game was Victor Martinez for the 2004 Cleveland Indians.
Pujols is the first Cardinals player to hit those plateaus. He’s also the first to reach those benchmarks in a game against the Texas Rangers.

It was all part of one of the greatest offensive outbursts in World Series history. After two games in which pitching dominanted, this should have been expected. As the Elias Sports Bureau pointed out, games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington netted 41 percent more runs and 50 percent more home runs than Rangers road games. That was the biggest ballpark effect in each of those categories in the major leagues this season.

The Cardinals 16 runs matched the second-most by any team in a World Series game. They became the first team to score first in 10 straight games in a single postseason. That helped manager Tony La Russa to his 68th postseason win, passing Bobby Cox for second-most all-time (16 shy of Joe Torre's record)

Likely to be forgotten, but noteworthy in their own right were a couple other St. Louis sparkplugs. David Freese extended his postseason hitting streak to a franchise-record 13 games, tied for the third-longest in a single postseason.

And Allen Craig’s home run made him, via the Elias Sports Bureau, the third player to have an RBI in his first three career World Series plate appearances, joining Dusty Rhodes (1954 Giants) and Ted Kluszewski (1959 White Sox).

On a day in which the Cardinals talled 16 runs and 15 hits, there was one player in the lineup who might want to take a tip from Pujols (who entered Game 3 0-for-6 in the World Series this season). Centerfielder Jon Jay was 0-for-5, the seventh player in World Series history to go 0-for-5 or worse on a day in which his team had at least 15 hits.

April showers have brought May flowers for Jay Bruce.

The Cincinnati Reds slugger Sunday hit his National League-leading 15th home run of the season and his 11th homer in May, which ties Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays for the most during the month this season.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 11 home runs in May are the most by a Reds player in a single calendar month since Adam Dunn hit 12 in July 2008.

Bruce ended the month of April struggling with four home runs, 11 RBI and a .237 batting average, which ranked 135th in MLB among players with at least 75 plate appearances.

This month has seen a completely different story. He’s hitting .330 with 11 HR and 29 RBI. In his previous two years in May, Bruce had just a .239 batting average with 12 homers and 30 RBI over 57 games.

So what’s been the difference? According to Inside Edge, Bruce is getting aggressive and taking advantage of fastballs. In the month of April, Bruce had a slugging percentage of .364 on at-bats that ended on the first pitch. That is up to .778 this month.

On at-bats that ended on the fastball, Bruce hit .254 during the month of April. That was below the MLB average of .285 in the situation. This month, he’s increased that to .344 and his slugging percentage is at .889.

But Bruce wasn’t the only “Jay” that had a strong Sunday.

• The Toronto Blue Jays scored 13 runs, including a six-run first inning as they clubbed the White Sox 13-4.

• Ricky Romero got the win for the Blue Jays as he allowed two runs over seven innings. According to Baseball Reference, his nickname is “RR Cool Jay”, like the rapper and entertainer “LL Cool J.”

• J.A. Happ (pronounced “Jay") did not allow a hit until the fifth inning for the Houston Astros. He also hit his first career home run.

• Jayson Werth of the Washington Nationals had three hits, but he was left stranded in scoring position in the eighth inning as the potential go-ahead run.

• J.J. Hardy of the Baltimore Orioles had a pair of hits, including a double.

• Jay Gibbons of the Los Angeles Dodgers had three hits. He entered Sunday with a .190 batting average and eight total hits for the season.

• Jon Jay of the St. Louis Cardinals and John Jaso of the Tampa Bay Rays each hit their eighth career home run. Alphabetically, those two are next to each other on the active player list. It was the first time they've gone deep on the same day.

Among players with 200 plate appearances, the Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton leads MLB with a .356 batting average. In fact, the top four are all veterans, but fifth is St. Louis Cardinals' rookie Jon Jay (.330 entering Tuesday).

Of course, the Cardinals' outfielder will have to do a lot more if he wants to become the Jo(h)n Jay. The rookie will probably forever live in the shadow of the founding father with a similar name, John Jay. In addition to serving as the 1st Chief Justice of the United States, Jay was also a president of the Continental Congress.

Now it's time to get waist-deep in an endeavor of absolute nerdiness. What other notable athletes share names with one-time members of the Continental Congress, and which person is more famous? We’ll let you decide. Dig in!

Who is William Floyd?
History Book says: Floyd was born in Brookhaven, N.Y., in 1734. After serving as a major general in the Suffolk County Militia, he went on to represent New York in the Continental Congress and then served in Congress from 1789-91. He also served as a Senator in 1809.
Sports Page says: Member of Florida State’s 1993 National Championship team, Floyd remains the last fullback taken in the first round of the NFL Draft. The San Francisco 49ers selected him 28th overall in 1994. He became the first rookie in nearly 30 years to score three touchdowns in a playoff game and helped lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl in his rookie season (scoring at least one TD in all three 49ers playoff games).

Who is Joseph Galloway?
History Book says: A loyalist who proposed a compromised plan for union at the Continental Congress, Galloway eventually moved to England, though some believe Galloway, N.J., is now named for him.

Sports Page says: “Joey” Galloway is 26th in NFL history with 10,777 receiving yards. Galloway had more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2007 at the age of 36 -- only Jerry Rice had a 1,000-yard season at a more advanced age.

Who is Benjamin Hawkins?
History Book says: North Carolina farmer who attended College of New Jersey (Princeton), but left to join the Continental Army. In addition to serving in the Continental Congress, he also served in Senate.

Sports Page says: “Ben” Hawkins led the NFL in receiving yards in his second season for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1967. He was also known for playing with his chin-strap unbuckled.

Who is Arthur Lee?
History Book says: American diplomat who studied medicine and law abroad and was called upon to drum up support for the colonies from Spain and Prussia.

Sports Page says: Point guard who led Stanford to the 1998 Final Four with clutch play in a come-from-behind win over Rhode Island in the Elite 8. He’s also remembered for making choking gestures as Rhode Island’s Tyson Wheeler missed crucial late free throws.

Who is Joseph Montgomery?
History Book says: Pennsylvania minister who served during the Revolutionary War before his time as a rep in the Continental Congress.

Sports Page says: “Joe” Montgomery is a former running back from Ohio State who was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played three seasons in the NFL with the Giants and Panthers.

Who is Robert Morris?
History Book says: Known as the “Financier of the Revolution,” Morris was a merchant and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Two universities (one in Pennsylvania, one in Illinois) now bear his name.

Sports Page says: “Rob” Morris, a linebacker out of BYU, was selected by the Colts in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Morris played for the Colts from 2000 to 2007, winning one Super Bowl.

Who is John Morton?
History Book says: Signed the Declaration of Independence and was instrumental in the writing of the Articles of Confederation.

Sports Page says: Scored a game-high 35 points for Seton Hall in its 1989 National Championship game loss to Michigan. Morton was just the fifth player to score at least 35 points in the NCAA Tournament Finals, joining Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich, Jack Givens and Lew Alcindor. He played three seasons in the NBA. (Honorable mention: former WR “Johnny” Morton)

Who is Jacob Read?
History Book says: A lawyer from Charleston, he represented South Carolina in the Continental Congress and later the U.S. Senate.

Sports Page says: A wide receiver out of Grambling State, “Jake Reed” amassed four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons for the Minnesota Vikings in the mid-1990s.

Who is David Ross?
History Book says: A major in the continental army, he also served as Maryland’s rep in the Continental Congress.

Sports Page says: Currently a back-up catcher for the Atlanta Braves (his sixth team since debuting in 2002).

Who is Matthew Thornton?
History Book says: Irish-born doctor was prominent in New Hampshire politics and signed the Declaration of Independence.

Sports Page says: White Sox middle reliever Matt Thornton made his first All-Star team in 2010.

Who is James White?
History Book says: A delegate for North Carolina in the Continental Congress, White was a Philadelphia-born physician, lawyer and politician.

Sports Page says: James “Flight” White is known as one of the best dunkers in basketball history (capable of two-handed dunks from the free-throw line). He played collegiately at Florida and Cincinnati before being selected in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft. He has drifted back and forth between the NBA, D-League and overseas pro leagues ever since.

The Minnesota Twins' Joe Mauer broke up the Texas Rangers' no-hit bid with a one-out single in the ninth inning off Neftali Feliz. This was the 10th no-hit bid taken into the 9th inning this season.

Five pitchers completed the deal (Ubaldo Jimenez, Dallas Braden, Roy Halladay, Edwin Jackson, Matt Garza) while four did not: Armando Galarraga, Ted Lilly, Travis Wood and Brandon Morrow. The Rangers, who used three relievers after Rich Harden was taken out after 6⅓ innings, were trying to become the first team since the 2003 Houston Astros (at Yankee Stadium) to throw a combined no-hitter.

This was the fifth time in team history that the Rangers had a no-hit bid broken up in the ninth inning, and the first time since Sept. 3, 2002 at Baltimore. Joaquin Benoit, the third pitcher in that game, lost the no-hitter with no outs in the 9th on a triple by Jerry Hairston.

Monday's Notables:
• The St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols is now one shy of becoming the 47th player with 400 career home runs. He has 43 against the Pirates, tied for the second most he's hit against one opponent. Pujols has 46 HR against the Cubs and also has 43 against the Reds. With the obvious exception of St. Louis, Pujols has played at least one game against every team in his career. The one team he has had the most plate appearances against without a home run is the Oakland Athletics (40 PA in nine games).

• The Pittsburgh Pirates' Ross Ohlendorf left with an arm injury after the Cardinals' Skip Schumaker walked and Jon Jay singled to start the game. Both runners scored on Pujols 399th home run, and Ohlendorf wound up being the losing pitcher, falling to 1-11. Since 1920, Ohlendorf is just the second Pirates starter to lose a game despite facing two batters or fewer. In Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Boston Braves on Aug. 27, 1950, Mel Queen walked Roy Hartfield and Sam Jethroe then left the game. Both players scored and Queen ended up taking the loss.

• The Houston Astros' Brett Myers (7 IP at Philadelphia Phillies) has now pitched at least six innings in all 26 starts this season. That ties Larry Dierker's franchise record for consecutive starts with six-plus innings pitched. Myers is also the first player to start a season by pitching at least six innings in each of his first 26 starts since Curt Schilling in 2002. (Schilling went at least six innings in all 35 starts he made that season.)

• Jose Bautista joined Jesse Barfield (1986) as the second Toronto Blue Jay to be the first player in baseball to reach 40 home runs in a season. Bautista has 25 HR at home this season, five shy of the franchise record held by Carlos Delgado in 2000. Bautista also has six multi-HR games this season, tied with Delgado (1998, 1999) and Vernon Wells (2006) for the second most in a season in team history. George Bell holds the record with nine in 1987.

• Monday's loss was the first by the New York Yankees this season when Alex Rodriguez was not in the lineup (12-1).