Wow! Cards score 15 runs in one inning

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Yes, Wednesday afternoon's game was only an exhibition, but the Cardinals found themselves on the right side of a doozy at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, collecting 26 hits and routing the Nationals, 29-8.

It was Cardinals legend Albert Pujols' first game back in a Redbirds jersey since 2011, and at first pitch, that seemed like the main story of the game.

Then St. Louis put up four runs in both the first and second innings. By the top of the third, the focus had turned to Paul DeJong, who was already a triple away from hitting for the cycle.

But it was the Cards' 15-run eighth inning (yes, you read that right) that really overshadowed any other story line.

The record for most runs in one inning in a regular-season game in the Modern Era (since 1900) is 17, a record held by the 1953 Red Sox (seventh inning). Spring Training stats don't carry nearly the same weight, but it shows just how impressive the Cards' big inning was.

St. Louis sent 19 batters to the plate in the eighth inning, where the Cards racked up 10 hits and four free bases (two walks and two hit-by-pitches), and the Nationals didn't record an out until the eighth batter.

Oh, and let's circle back to the final score. The 2007 Rangers hold the record for the most runs scored in a regular-season game in the Modern Era, after they beat the Orioles 30-3 on Aug. 22. Even with the Cardinals' 29 runs coming in Spring Training, that box score is nonetheless awe-inspiring.

The combined 37 runs scored on Wednesday matched the 37 runs scored on March 21 between the Rangers (25) and Guardians (12).

Two 37-run games in one Spring Training? That's pretty wild.

The Cardinals improved to 6-4 in spring play, while the Nationals dropped to 1-10.