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Video: Angels' Albert Pujols Gets Standing Ovation from Cardinals Crowd After HR
June 22, 2019
It's not often that a visiting player receives a curtain call following a home run, but that's exactly what happened at Busch Stadium on Saturday.
This weekend marked the first time Albert Pujols returned to St. Louis since signing with the Los Angeles Angels following the 2011 campaign. He received an extended standing ovation prior to his first at-bat on Friday, but he was unable to complete his "dream" scenario of hitting a home run on the first pitch he saw.
Well, on Saturday, he had the opportunity to round the bases once again in St. Louis—and Cardinals fans made sure to show him some love just like old times:
It probably didn't hurt that the Cardinals still had a three-run lead following the blast, but for all Pujols did for the franchise and city, it was a much-deserved reception.
"It was a moment I will treasure forever," Pujols said after the game, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
This comes after he received a standing ovation prior to his first plate appearance on Saturday as well:
Pujols now has 646 career home runs, putting him sixth all time. He hit 445 of those in a Cardinals uniform—the second-most in franchise history—and now has 111 at Busch Stadium III.
Given this could be Pujols' final trip to St. Louis in his Hall of Fame career, Cardinals fans are cherishing it. After all, this is a player who won three National League MVP awards while delivering a pair of World Series championships in a Cardinals uniform.