Oct. 4 (UPI) — Albert Pujols reached possibly the final benchmarks of his MLB tenure in the St. Louis Cardinals’ latest loss, breaking Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth records with career homer No. 703 in a loss at PNC Park.
Pujols hit the go-ahead, 361-foot, two-run shot in the top of the sixth inning of the 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday in Pittsburgh.
Pujols 263rd career go-ahead homer passed Bonds’ previous record of 262, the most in MLB history, dating back to 1961, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
Pujols, who will retire after the season, trails only Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) on the all-time home runs list.
Neither team scored through the first five innings Monday in Pittsburgh. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt singled to left field to lead off the sixth. Pujols then settled in against Pirates starter Mitch Keller.
Keller threw a sinker for a called strike, but missed the zone with two of his next three offerings. Pujols then smacked a 2-2 Keller curveball to left field.
The blast traveled 99 mph off his bat and hovered just 63 feet above the field before it cleared the fence in left field to give the Cardinals a lead.
Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds cut into the deficit with an RBI double in the bottom of the inning. Fellow Pirates outfielder Jack Suwinski then tied the score with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth.
The Pirates won the game when Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero walked designated hitter Oneil Cruz with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
The Pirates logged just five hits, but also drew five walks in the win. Pujols went 1 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Pujols, 42, also passed Ruth for the second-most RBIs in MLB history (2,216) in Monday’s loss. He trails only Aaron (2,297) in that category.
Pujols also ranks No. 3 in extra-base hits and sacrifice flies, No. 2 in intentional walks, No. 8 in runs created, No. 5 in doubles and games played, No. 2 in total bases and No. 10 in hits.
The Cardinals will face the Pirates at 6:35 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Pittsburgh. They will finish the season Wednesday at PNC Park.
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