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

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.

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.