Major League Baseball

Albert Pujols makes history, hits home runs 699, 700

Updated Sep. 24, 2022 11:08 a.m. ET

Albert Pujols has officially joined the mythical 700 home run club, becoming just the fourth player in MLB history to achieve the feat.

The St. Louis Cardinals slugger made history Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth inning with a three-run shot against reliever Phil Bickford. It was his 14th homer since the start of August for the NL Central-leading Cardinals and his 21st of the season.

Cardinals' Albert Pujols homers for second time vs. Dodgers

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols homered in the fourth inning, becoming just the fourth player in MLB history to hit 700 home runs.

Pujols joins Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714) as the only other MLB players to reach the milestone.

It was his second homer of the night, after the 42-year-old Pujols hit home run No. 699 — a two-run shot in the top of the third — to give his Cardinals a 2-0 lead against his former team.

"Don’t get me wrong, I know where my places stand in this game, but since Day One when I made my debut, I was never about numbers, never about chasing numbers," Pujols said after the game. "It was always about winning championships and tried to get better in these games."

Cardinals' Albert Pujols hits career home run No. 699 vs. Dodgers

The St. Louis Cardinals took a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers after Albert Pujols launched home run No. 699 of his career.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gladly gushed about Pujols’ accomplishment.

"This is like the Mount Rushmore of sluggers, so to reach that 700-home run mark, it’s remarkable," Roberts said.

A man wearing a blue Dodgers shirt with Hideo Nomo’s No. 16 on the back snagged the 700th homer ball. He was whisked under the stands as he clutched a black glove containing the historic souvenir ball to his chest. Prolonged negotiations went on before the man was escorted out of Dodger Stadium flanked by 10 security personnel and into a waiting SUV.

"Souvenirs are for the fans," Pujols said. "I don’t have any problem if they want to keep it. That’s why the fans come here, to have a special moment of history."

Stirring up images of his dominant days as a three-time NL MVP, Pujols hit No. 699 in the third inning, then launched No. 700 in the fourth.

A 37-year-old Los Angeles man, Cesar Soriano, snagged No. 699. He turned the ball over to security after being told he could meet Pujols.

Pujols took extra pleasure in making his mark at Dodger Stadium, where he said he regained his joy for the game while with the Dodgers last season.

"It’s pretty special, especially with the Dodgers fans, to do it here," Pujols said. "And, you get to see both sides, they get to enjoy this and to do it in a Cardinals uniform is really special."

The 11-time All-Star spent the first 10 years of his career with St. Louis before joining the Los Angeles Angels (2012-21) and spending last season with the Dodgers. He returned to St. Louis this past offseason.

Pujols’ historic homer was a three-run shot against reliever Phil Bickford. The ball landed in the first couple rows of the left-field pavilion, the same location his two-run shot touched down the previous inning off left-hander Andrew Heaney.

"At first, I was upset ... and then when the crowd reacted and seen all the smiles, it was a very special moment for MLB," Bickford said. "Albert Pujols is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.