Friday, Sep 23, 2022. 11:00 PM
LOS ANGELES – Albert Pujols hit his 700th career home run on Friday, hitting his second long pitch in a smashing 11-0 St Louis Cardinals victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and became the fourth player in the Major League history to reach the plateau.
The 42-year-old hitter hit his 699th homer in the third inning. The slugger, who will retire after the season, then sent the ball over the fence again in the fourth inning.
He joined the select club of 700 homers composed of Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).
Pujols went through a whole sequence of events. It was his 14th home run since the beginning of August for the leaders of the Central section of the National and his 21st of the campaign.
Pujols’ historic home run was a three-point hit against Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford. The ball landed in the front rows of the left field stands, the same spot where his two-homerun slap had landed in the previous inning.
Pujols received an extended standing ovation from the crowd — he finished last season as a member of the Dodgers. He was given an encore after raising his cap in thanks.
The supporters, who saw history being written before their eyes, chanted “Pujols! Pujols! after the tour de force.
Pujols broke the tie with Alex Rodriguez in fourth in the homerun standings when he hit his 697th career homer on Sept. 11 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On July 4, Pujols, who was batting .189, seemed unlikely to reach the prestigious plateau. However, the three-time National Most Valuable Player winner began to find his way in August. He had seven long balls in a 10-game streak that allowed the Cardinals to solidify their hold on the top spot in their division.
“I know at the start of the year…obviously I wanted to do better,” Pujols said after a home run in a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 22. “But I felt like I was hitting the ball with power. Sometimes this sport takes more away from you than it gives back. »
“So I think at the end of the day, you have to stay positive and focused. You have to trust your work. It’s something I’ve done all the time. »
Pujols re-emerged this season after returning with the Cardinals. He signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million in March. It’s his highest homer total since 2019 with the Los Angeles Angels (23).
He plans to retire at the end of the season.
Pujols also started his career in St. Louis. He was selected by the Cardinals in the 13th round of the 1999 draft and won the National Rookie of the Year in 2001.
The Dominican has batted at least .300 with a minimum of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs in each of his first 10 MLB seasons. He helped the Cardinals win the World Series in 2006 and 2011.
He set his career-best mark with 49 homers in 2006, one of his seven seasons with at least 40 home runs. He led the majors with 47 homers in 2009 and was National’s top homer with 42 homers in 2010.
Pujols left the Cardinals in December 2011 as a free agent. He signed a 10-year, $240 million pact with the Angels. Released by the Angels in May 2021, he then joined the Dodgers and hit 12 homers and drove in 38 runs in 85 games.
Home run number 699 for Albert Pujols
699th and 700th home runs in the same game for Pujols!