Baseball slugger joins sport's most exclusive club

St Louis slugger Albert Pujols deed his 700th location run, becoming the 4th subordinate to scope the milestone successful the past of Major League Baseball.

Playing the last days of his past large league season, the 42-year-old Pujols joined Barry Bonds (762 homers), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) successful 1 of baseball’s astir exclusive clubs.

A antheral wearing a bluish Dodgers garment snagged the 700th homer ball. He was whisked nether the stands arsenic helium clutched a achromatic mitt containing the historical souvenir shot to his chest. Prolonged negotiations went connected earlier the antheral was escorted retired of Dodger Stadium flanked by 10 information unit and into a waiting SUV.

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Showing the popular from his younger, ascendant days, Pujols deed No. 699 successful the 3rd inning, past launched No. 700 successful the fourth.

A 37-year-old Los Angeles man, Cesar Soriano, snagged No. 699. He turned the shot implicit to information aft being told helium could conscionable Pujols.

It’s been a singular and resurgent tally for Pujols. This was his 14th location tally since the commencement of August for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, and his 21st of the season.

Fairly recently, galore considered him a agelong changeable to scope 700 this season. He went into August batting lone .235 with conscionable 7 location runs.

But with 2 agelong shots connected this evening, helium made his mark.

Albert Pujols celebrates aft location tally fig 700. (Getty)

Pujols’ historical homer was a three-run changeable against reliever Phil Bickford. The shot landed successful the archetypal mates rows of the left-field pavilion, the aforesaid determination his two-run changeable touched down the erstwhile inning disconnected left-hander Andrew Heaney.

He jogged astir the bases smiling each the way. After crossing the sheet and pointing his fingers skyward, Pujols went implicit to greet chap Dominican and erstwhile Dodgers prima Adrian Beltre. They high-fived done the protective netting.

Then helium was disconnected to the Cardinals dugout, getting hugs and congratulations each measurement of the way.

Pujols received a prolonged lasting ovation from the assemblage — helium finished retired past play portion playing for the Dodgers. He took a curtain call, raising his headdress successful acknowledgment.

The assemblage of 50,041 chanted “Pujols! Pujols!” The fans yet sat down aft being connected their feet successful anticipation of seeing history.

His 700th homer gave him a mates of different nice, circular numbers, excessively — helium has deed 500 location runs disconnected right-handers and 200 disconnected lefties.

The three-time NL MVP was batting .189 connected July 4. But helium started to find his changeable successful August, swatting 7 homers successful 1 10-game agelong that helped St. Louis propulsion distant successful the part race.

“I cognize that aboriginal successful the twelvemonth ... I evidently wanted amended results,” Pujols said aft helium homered successful a 1-0 triumph implicit the Chicago Cubs connected Aug. 22. “But I felt similar I was hitting the shot hard. Sometimes this crippled is going to instrumentality much distant from you than the crippled (is) giving you back.

“So I deliberation astatine the extremity of the time you person to beryllium affirmative and conscionable enactment focused and spot your work. That’s thing that I’ve done each the time.”

Pujols has enjoyed a productive play aft returning to St. Louis successful March for a low-price, one-year contract. It’s his highest full since helium deed 23 homers for the Angels successful 2019.

He plans to discontinue erstwhile the play ends.

Pujols began his vocation successful St. Louis. He was selected by the Cardinals successful the 13th circular of the 1999 amateur draught and won the 2001 NL Rookie of the Year award.

The Dominican Republic autochthonal deed astatine slightest .300 with astatine slightest 30 homers and 100 RBIs successful each of his archetypal 10 seasons. He helped the Cardinals to World Series titles successful 2006 and 2011.

He acceptable a vocation precocious with 49 homers successful 2006 — 1 of 7 seasons with astatine slightest 40 homers. He led the majors with 47 homers successful 2009 and topped the NL with 42 successful 2010.

Pujols near St. Louis successful escaped bureau successful December 2011, signing a $367 million, 10-year declaration with the Angels. He was waived by the Angels successful May 2021, and past joined the Dodgers and deed 12 homers and drove successful 38 runs successful 85 games.

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