Cardinals’ Albert Pujols Homers Off MLB-Record 450th Pitcher

The legendary slugger notched his 15th home run of the season in a win over the Reds on Monday night.

CINCINNATI (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols tagged his major league record 450th different pitcher for a home run, connecting off Cincinnati left-hander Ross Detwiler on Monday night in a 13-4 rout of the Reds.

Pujols hit his 694th home run overall. He had been tied with Barry Bonds for most pitchers as longball victims at 449.

HR 6️⃣9️⃣4️⃣ for Albert Pujols‼️

(via @MLB x @PujolsFive)pic.twitter.com/gJ0idgTV6m

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 30, 2022

Bonds leads the all-time home run list with 762, followed by Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696).

The 42-year-old Pujols lined a two-run, opposite-field drive to right field off Detwiler in the third inning at Great American Ball Park. Pujols’ 15th homer gave the NL Central-leading Cardinals an 8-0 lead.

This was Pujols’ 134th career home run in August, his most prolific month. He broke a tie with Alex Rodriguez for second behind Bonds’ 148.

© Albert Cesare / The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tyler O’Neill hit two home runs on a rainy night as the Cardinals moved a season-high 21 games over .500. He has homered in three of his last four games, including a go-ahead, three-run drive in Sunday night’s 6-3 win over Atlanta.

O’Neill homered during a six-run second and again in a four-run sixth.

Miles Mikolas faced one batter over the minimum through four innings before allowing solo homers by TJ Friedl and Stuart Fairchild and a two-run drive by Chuckie Robinson while getting just one out in the fifth.

Mikolas allowed six hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings. He is winless in six Cincinnati starts since April 14, 2018.

Chris Stratton (7-4) relieved and got the win.

The Cardinals did most of their damage against Chase Anderson, a right-hander promoted from Triple-A Louisville after signing a minor league contract with the Reds. Anderson (0-1) lasted 1 1/3 innings in his first major league appearance since Aug. 4, 2021. He gave up four hits and five runs with a walk and two strikeouts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (right shoulder strain) is scheduled to make his first rehab appearance on Thursday with Triple-A Louisville at Indianapolis. Greene went on the injured list on August 5.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Dakota Hudson (7-6, 4.23) didn’t allow a hit after the third inning and retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced while going seven innings in an 8-5 win over the Cubs at Chicago on Thursday.

Reds: RHP Justin Dunn (1-2, 5.12) logged a career-high six innings in his last start, a 4-1 loss at Philadelphia on Thursday.