Albert Pujols became the fastest player in major-league history to reach 19 homers on Saturday night in leading the Cardinals to a 9-1 victory over the Diamondbacks.
Pujols lined a 1-0 pitch from Claudio Vargas over the left-field wall in the second inning to give St. Louis a 5-1 lead in its 37th game.
Pujols, who also leads the majors with 47 RBIs, had run-scoring singles in the first and fourth and flied out to the warning track in center field in the sixth. He also struck out with the bases loaded to end the seventh.
The previous fastest players to 19 homers were Mickey Mantle in 1956 and Luis Gonzalez of the Diamondbacks in 2001, each doing it in 40 games. Mantle finished with 52 homers that season and Gonzalez had 57 in 2001.
Extra innings
The Athletics put All-Star reliever Justin Duchscherer on the 15-day disabled list. . . . The Brewers acquired Rangers left-handed pitcher Brian Shouse, who had been designated for assignment Monday after being on the DL this season with a strained left calf, in exchange for minor-league infielder Enrique Cruz and a player to be determined. . . . The Rangers’ game at Boston was postponed by rain and will be rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader during Texas’ next trip to Boston June 9-11.
