Watch Albert Pujols hit home run 698, launching him closer to the 700 home run club
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With a sold out Busch Stadium crowd on its feet, Albert Pujols continued to make history. He slugged his 698th career home run into the St. Louis night sky where it would land 427 feet away beyond left field and tie Friday night’s ballgame, 4-4, in the sixth inning against Cincinnati.
It is the fourth consecutive home run Pujols has hit that either gave the Cardinals the lead or tied the game. It was his 19th home run of the season.
Pujols has at least an RBI in six consecutive games for his longest streak since 2017 with the Los Angeles Angels.
After being hit by a pitch and striking out in his prior two at-bats in the game, Pujols took the first pitch he saw from Reds reliever Raynel Espinal, who was making just his second appearance of the season, and third of his career. In doing so, Espinal became the 453rd pitcher to allow a home run to Pujols, improving on Pujols’ already earned MLB record.
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Pujols’ homer was his 476th as a player in the National League. That moves him out of a tie with Stan Musial and Willie Stargell for 10th all-time.
Pujols’ stretch of impact homers began with his two-run shot that provided both runs in a 2-0 victory against the Cubs. Pujols’ hit two homers over the weekend at Pittsburgh to tie a game or put the Cardinals ahead when they were trailing, and on Friday nigh at Busch his two-run bolt knotted the game.
Pujols will now try to do what once seemed improbable, reach the 700 home run plateau that now sits just two swings away. Only three other players have ever reached and surpassed that milestone: Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), and Babe Ruth (714).
Including postseason home runs, Pujols has 717 career home runs.
Check back here at STLtoday.com and in the pages of the Post-Dispatch for more coverage of Pujols’ climb toward 700 and the Cardinals’ series against visiting Cincinnati.
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