Quick Hitters
Pujols hits 600th career homer; 9th to join club
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols hit his 600th career homer on Saturday night, delivering a grand slam to become the ninth player in major league history to reach the mark.
The Los Angeles Angels slugger connected in the fourth inning against Minnesota’s Ervin Santana, driving a high fly into the short leftfield porch at Angel Stadium.
The milestone homer is the latest superlative in the 17-year career of Pujols, a 13th-round draft pick who became one of the greatest hitters of his generation.
The 37-year-old Pujols is the fourth-youngest player to hit 600 homers behind Alex Rodriguez, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. Pujols joins home run kings Barry Bonds and Aaron as the only players to hit 600 homers and 600 doubles.
The Dominican veteran is the first player to hit his 600th homer since Jim Thome in August 2011. With his ninth homer this season, Pujols has joined the club with Bonds (762), Aaron (755), Ruth (714), Rodriguez (696), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Thome (612) and Sammy Sosa (609).
Pujols also became the first player to hit a grand slam for No. 600.
He put a long, looping swing on the struggling Santana’s low pitch, and he briefly stood at the plate to see whether the ball would stay fair. When it did, he rounded the bases to a fusillade of fireworks before greeting his excited teammates at home plate.
Pulisic goal gives U.S. tie vs. Venezuela in exhibition
SANDY, Utah — Christian Pulisic scored early in the second half, defender John Brooks limped off with a leg injury and the United States struggled at the start of a 1-1 exhibition tie against Venezuela on Saturday night, a warmup for a pair of World Cup qualifiers next week.
Jose Manuel Velazquez put Venezuela ahead in the 29th minute, but the 18-year-old Pulisic tied it in the 61st with his fifth goal in 15 international appearances.
Brooks, who missed a pair of March qualifiers because of injuries, hobbled off in the 51st minute, rubbing the side of his right leg, and was replaced six minutes later by Matt Hedges.
The U.S. plays Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday at Commerce City, Colorado, then is at Mexico three days later. The U.S. is fourth in the final round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean with four points, ahead of Honduras on goal difference. Mexico leads with 10, followed by Costa Rica with seven and Panama with five. Trinidad is last with three.
The top three nations qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia, and the No. 4 nation advances to a playoff against Asia’s fifth-place team.
The U.S. started close to a firstchoice lineup, missing only forward Jozy Altidore, who reported late to training camp because of a family commitment. But the center back pairing of Brooks and Geoff Cameron, starting together for the first time since October, was not sharp.