Albert Puhols made sure his final game in Toronto was one to remember. The St. Louis Cardinals veteran hit a home run in the top of the fifth inning on Wednesday against the Blue Jays, making him the oldest player to do so at Rogers Center.
Pujols, who is 42 years, 192 days old, eclipsed Rick Dempsey (41 years, 342 days) in the process. Dempsey hit a homer for the Milwaukee Brewers on August 21, 1991 at the then SkyDome.
Pujols intends to retire at the end of this season, so the only chance he will play again in Toronto will be if the Blue Jays face the Cardinals in the World Series.
For the second night in a row, baseball’s elder statesman drew a standing ovation from the Toronto crowd, removing his helmet in thanks. Pujols showed his appreciation by collecting a single, a double and then a homer, bringing him within a shot of the cycle.
The homer came off Toronto reliever Trevor Richards, who had just been inserted into the game by starter Kevin Gausman. It was two on and two out when Pujols sent a 1-0 fastball into second in center field, drawing cheers from the Toronto crowd even as it extended the Cardinals’ lead to 6-1 over the home team.
It was Puholz’s 686th home run all-time. He is currently fifth on the MLB list, now 10 behind Alex Rodriguez for fourth place. He has just seven this season, making his chances of reaching 700 before he retires.
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