Albert Pujols hit 698 career homeruns with a two-run, tie-score in the 6th inning that drove the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Cincinnati Reds.
The Dominican tracked down the primary pitch of his countryman Raynel Espinal and sent the ball 427 feet from the plate, to the left field seats, for his nineteenth homer this season, which tied the score 4-4.
Pujols trails just Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Darling Ruth (714) on the rundown of the best homeruns ever. With 2,203 RBIs, the 42-year-old veteran came extremely close to Ruth, who is in runner up. Hank Aaron is the pioneer, with 2,297.
Ryan Helsley struck out Kyle Farmer, Jake Fraley and Donovan Solano on nine contributors for his eighteenth save in 22 possibilities. It was the third perfect inning in Cardinals history, following Weave Gibson in 1969 and Jason Isringhausen in 2002.
Pujols is batting .324 (45-for-139) with 15 homers and 35 RBIs in 47 games since July 10. Five of his last six huge homeruns have come in or after the sixth inning, and his last five homers have tied the game or given St. Louis the lead. In the seventh inning, Pujols hit a ball to T.J. Friedl, on the left field wall. He is in his 22nd season in the majors and has said he will retire at the end of the season.
The win went to Chris Stratton (9-4). The failure was Ian Gibaut (1-2). For the Reds, Colombian Donovan Solano 4-0. The Dominican ArÃstides Aquino 4-2 with a RBI. The Mexican Alejo López 1-0. For the Cardinals, Dominican Pujols 3-1 with a run scored and two RBIs.