Los Angeles (AFP) - St.Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols edged closer to Major League Baseball's exclusive 700-homer club on Friday, belting the 698th home run of his career in a 6-5 win over Cincinnati.
The Cardinals trailed 4-2 in the sixth inning when Dominican-born Pujols sent a hanging slider from Reds pitcher Raynel Espinal 427 feet.
The two-run blast tied the game and moved Pujols two home runs away from becoming just the fourth player to reach 700 in a career.
Pujols, 42, had already passed former Yankee Alex Rodriguez for fourth on MLB's career homer list with his 697th on Sunday.
The three men ahead of him on that list are the only others to reach 700: Barry Bonds with the MLB career record of 762, Hank Aaron with 755 and Babe Ruth with 714.
Pujols said when he signed a one-year contract to rejoin the Cardinals that this would be his final season.
St.Louis have 17 more regular-season games for him to chase the milestone.
Five of Pujols's past six home runs have either tied the game or put the Cardinals ahead.
Of his 19 home runs this season, a dozen have come since August 10.
