Albert Pujols hit a home run.
We've been able to say that many, many times about the former Cardinals and current Angels slugger. In fact, this is the 609th time we've gotten to say so in a regular-season MLB game.
Blast No. 609 came on Friday night against the Orioles. It wasn't one of Pujols' usual prodigious, high-and-deep flies. No, it was a low-lining laser:
Smoked.
The home run is notable because it moves Pujols into a tie for eight place on the all-time home run list with Sammy Sosa. This also means that Pujols has tied Sosa for the most home runs ever by a foreign-born player (both were born in the Dominican Republic). Pujols will be making that record his own any day now.
In the meantime, here is the all-time home run leaderboard:
Player | Career home runs |
Barry Bonds | 762 |
Hank Aaron | 755 |
Babe Ruth | 714 |
Alex Rodriguez | 696 |
Willie Mays | 660 |
Ken Griffey Jr. | 630 |
Jim Thome | 612 |
Sammy Sosa | 609 |
Albert Pujols | 609 |
Pujols probably gets past Thome pretty soon and then eyes Ken Griffey Jr. at some point next season.