Albert Pujols belts 661st homer to cross Willie Mays on all-time checklist

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols wanted when it comes to 5 weeks to tie Willie Mays for fifth space on the career dwelling speed checklist. It took handiest five days for the Los Angeles Angels slugger to cross him.

Pujols hit No. 661 within the fifth inning on Friday evening in opposition to the Texas Rangers to break the tie with Mays, then linked again in his subsequent at-bat within the 6-2 victory.

“I knew that every time it occurs, whether or no longer it was as soon as going to be this yr or subsequent yr, it was as soon as going to occur,” he said. “I undoubtedly wasn’t angry about attempting to hit one out. It came about tonight and seek how splendid it worked out. I no longer handiest got one, but two on the evening.”

The 40-yr-extinct Pujols now trails handiest Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696).

Pujols said that he got a textual squawk material and email from Mays after he tied the Corridor of Famer on Sunday in Colorado. Pujols added that he had no longer checked his phone after Friday’s game to have a study what number of congratulatory messages he had got.

“It within reason particular if you occur to are talking about Willie Mays. What he did on the sphere is unbelievable,” Pujols said. “He’s a legend, moderately ideal-attempting and he knows how to give exact advice.”

Pujols had hit factual four dwelling runs this season sooner than posting the 60th multi-HR game of his career and first since May perhaps well simply 11 last yr at Baltimore. He carried out with three hits on the evening.

Pujols handed Mays with a solo pressure to left. Pujols sent a 1-2 fastball from Wes Benjamin into the Rangers’ bullpen. Pujols pointed to the dugout and did a fist pump as he approached third corrupt.

After the Rangers rallied to earn inner 3-2, Pujols led off the seventh with No. 662 off Demarcus Evans into the Angels’ bullpen to elongate the lead.

“I mean, I know he’s no longer in actuality a residence speed hitter,” Benjamin said sooner than laughing. “I threw the one pitch I didn’t deserve to throw. I wished a fastball up there. It factual roughly yanked into the zone factual ample and he was as soon as ready for it.”

Pujols has long previous deep to left 330 times in his career and 362 have reach with the bases empty. He said he’s at possibility of set up the bat he at possibility of cross Mays and that the ball had been retrieved.

Pujols, who has one more season left on his contract with the Angels after this yr, has 108 HRs at Angel Stadium, which is handiest three within the attend of the 111 he hit at unique Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006.

Manager Joe Maddon said the handiest part missing was as soon as having followers within the stands to salute Pujols for reaching the milestone. There was yet again noise than traditional on the ballpark Friday evening, along with some cheering, but was as soon as because a pressure-in concert was as soon as taking space in an adjacent automobile parking space.

“Obviously there’s a high level of pride, but he skipped over out on the opportunity to have the adulation that folks factual screaming from the from the rafters,” Maddon said. “It’s too irascible. That’s one other half of all this. That makes things lots of but the guys reacted neatly, Albert on the total handled it extraordinarily neatly.”

The three-time MVP and 10-time All-Considerable particular person did most of his long-ball injury valid by his 11 seasons in St. Louis, the build he hit 445 sooner than signing with the Angels after the 2011 season.

He had six 40 or more HR seasons with the Cardinals, with his perfect yr being 2006 when he hit 49 homers and drove in a career-high 137 runs.

“He’s such a exact baseball participant,” Maddon said. “So yeah, he hits dwelling runs. We’re no longer seeing it valid by his youthful days, but this man has played this game as neatly as anybody has.”

Taylor Ward added two hits and an RBI while Anthony Rendon had a two-speed double within the eighth for the Angels, who beat the Rangers for handiest the 2nd time in seven conferences this season. Jaime Barria (1-0) tied a career high in strikeouts with eight and allowed two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Willie Calhoun drove in each runs for the Rangers, who’ve dropped three of their last four.

Benjamin (1-1) came on within the 2nd after Jimmy Herget was as soon as inclined as an opener for essentially the most indispensable time in his career. Benjamin gave up two runs on six hits in four innings with four strikeouts.