of the NLCS against the Brewers, he had four hits, three runs scored, one home run and five RBI, in a 12–3 victory. He batted .478 with two home runs and nine RBI in the series as the Cardinals defeated the Brewers in six games. On October 22, in Game 3 of the World Series, Pujols had five hits, three home runs, four runs scored and six RBI in a 16–7 victory over the Rangers. He joined Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson as the only players in baseball history to hit three home runs in a World Series game, set a series record with 14 total bases, became the first player in series history to have hits in four consecutive innings, and tied records for most hits and most RBI in a World Series game. He had one hit and no RBI the other six games of the series but became a World Series champion for the second time as the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in seven games. After the season, he became a free agent for the first time in his career. Los Angeles Angels (2012–2021) Three teams were reported to be interested in Pujols during the 2011 offseason: the Cardinals, the Miami Marlins, and the Los Angeles Angels. The Cardinals offered Pujols a 10-year, $210 million deal (with $30 million deferred), but Pujols rejected it. His wife, Deidre, explained on a radio talk show that they were "insulted" and "confused" that the Cardinals had initially offered Pujols a five-year deal. The Marlins reportedly offered Pujols a 10-year contract too, but on December 8, he signed a 10-year deal with the Angels worth around $254 million. Early Angels tenure (2012–2016) Pujols did not perform very well to begin the 2012 season, batting .217 with no home runs and four RBI in the month of April. Soon after the Angels called up top prospect Mike Trout and fired hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, Pujols' numbers began to rise, as he batted .323 with 13 home runs from May 15 through the All-Star Break. On July 31, he hit two home runs against Derek Holland in a 6–2 victory over the Rangers. After the game, Holland observed that Pujols had "definitely turned it around, no doubt about it... He had a slow start, but he's picked it up. He's a great hitter...." On August 14, Pujols had four RBIs, including a game-winning