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st. LOUIS (AP) — Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hits his 701st home run Friday night against his Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pujols threw a slider from former teammate Johan Oviedo over the Big Mac Land sign in left field at Busch Stadium. 1-all in 4 solo drives.
Pujols faced Oviedo for the first time, making the 24-year-old right-hander the 456th pitcher to face him at home.
The St. Louis star hasn’t returned home in a week since last Friday when he finished 699th and 700th at Dodger Stadium. Pujols was hitless in 10 at bats with two starts and one pinch hitter.
The Busch Stadium crowd gave the 42-year-old Pujols a long standing ovation before he emerged from the Cardinals dugout and put on his hat for the curtain call.
Pujols hit 22 home runs this season for the NL Central champion Cardinals.
Pujols is fourth all-time home run leader behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).
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