St. Louis Cardinals DH Albert Pujols. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Braves get an unexpected gift and take full advantage of it
St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols faced the Chicago Cubs for the final time in his career on Sunday, with his final swing fittingly winning the game.
Albert Pujols’ quest for 700 continued on Sunday in the final game he’ll ever play against the Cubs.
Considering the fits he’s given Chicago over the years, it was only right for him to put an exclamation point on his career against them.
Pujols came in as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of a scoreless game. On his second swing, he blasted a 429-foot home run. He has just five to go.
Albert Pujols’ final swing vs. the Cubs moved him closer to 700
That’s what the Cubs get for having a lefty pitch to the lefty killer.
Pujols needs one home run to tie Alex Rodriguez and step into fourth-place on the all-time home run charts. Four more after that will put him in the 700 Club alongside Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth.
He remains fervent in his plan to retire after the 2022 season, so the clock is still ticking. The Cardinals will begin a series with the Nationals on Monday. There are 28 games remaining in the season.
Not only did that homer put Pujols at 695 in his career, it also gave St. Louis the win.
With two runs on the board, the Cardinals held the Cubs in the top of the ninth.
That remains the incredible thing about Pujols’ contributions this season. He hasn’t just been padding his career stats. He’s been a critical figure for St. Louis as one of the hottest hitters in baseball since the All-Star Break.
The Cardinals have an 8.5-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central as the final stretch towards the postseason approaches.