October 1, 200521 yr Pujols rips Grand Slam for #200 HR ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Albert Pujols reached a couple of home run milestones, helping the St. Louis Cardinals get back on track heading into the postseason. Pujols hit a grand slam in the seventh inning for his 40th homer of the season and the 200th of his career, rescuing a pitching staff that surrendered 10 walks in the first six innings of a 12-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night. ``Sometimes you get what you deserve,'' manager Tony La Russa said. ``For 40 to be 200, and to be a grand slam, it's like it's in the movies.'' ``I know we haven't been playing the way we want the last week or so but that's part of the season,'' Pujols said. ``We've been so consistent this year. Hopefully we bounce back, we pick it up.'' Pujols' first homer since Sept. 8 came off Matt Belisle in the seventh and put the Cardinals ahead 11-4. He has four career grand slams and this one made him, at 25 years and 257 days, the third-fastest player to reach 200 homers, behind only Hall of Famers Mel Ott and Eddie Mathews. In terms of games played, he's the second-fastest to 200 at 4 years and 181 days, trailing only Ralph Kiner, who did it in 4 years, 119 days. ``It doesn't matter,'' Pujols said. ``If I would have had it tonight or next year, it's just a home run, just like the 199th home run I hit before that. It's about winning.'' Pujols added an RBI single in the fourth to tie his career best of five RBIs. [More in URL] Only fitting his #40th and #200th Career Homer was a Big Grand Slam..
October 1, 200521 yr Author Pujols makes history in Cards' win Grand slam gives first baseman consecutive 40-homer seasons By Stephen A. Norris / MLB.com St. LOUIS -- Just in case there weren't enough memories for fans who came to watch the third-to-last game ever to be played at Busch Stadium on Friday, Albert Pujols provided one more. With the bases loaded in the seventh inning and the Cardinals looking to inflate a 6-4 lead, Pujols came to the plate and blasted a moon shot off the first pitch thrown to him from Cincinnati reliever Matt Belisle. The ball arched over the left-field fence and dropped into the stands for the fourth grand slam of Pujols' career, lifting the Cardinals to a 12-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The slam was the 40th home run of the season for Pujols and the 200th of his career. He is the third-youngest player to reach the 200 mark (only Mel Ott and Eddie Matthews did it sooner), and he got there in a shorter amount of time than anyone but Ralph Kiner, measured in days from his Major League debut. Pujols made it in four seasons, 181 days, while Kiner managed the feat in four years, 119 days. Pujols is also the first Cardinal in the 114-year history of the franchise to hit 40 home runs in three consecutive seasons. "[Pujols has] been unbelievable this whole year," shortstop David Eckstein said. "I hope people don't take it for granted, the numbers he's putting up, because he definitely deserves the MVP." Of course, the big No. 5 could care less about numbers; all he wants is a World Series ring. "It's always nice to do something in front of your fans who support you all year long," Pujols said. "[There are] 47,000 people up there cheering for you and giving you a standing ovation -- it's great -- but you can't get caught up in that. You need to make sure you get ready to go, and I'm pretty sure they will be pretty happy if we bring them a World Series championship." [More in URL] :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy
October 1, 200521 yr very cool stuff for Pujols. how can you not like this guy? thanks for posting CardsFan!
October 1, 200521 yr Author Pujols is 25? :blink: Yes, but I also have a couple doubts.. He's still awesome though :thumbup
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