Tag Archives: J.A. Happ

Albert Pujols Hits First-Inning Home Run in St. Louis Return

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It’s a memorable homecoming for Albert Pujols.

The 41-year-old Dominican professional baseball player hit a home run in his return to Busch Stadium, sending the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-2 win over his former St. Louis Cardinals team on Tuesday night.

Albert Pujols

The playoff-contending Dodgers won the sixth time in eight games. St. Louis has lost four in a row.

A star slugger who led the Cardinals to a pair of World Series championships, Pujols made his second appearance at Busch Stadium after playing for St. Louis from 2001 to 2011.

Pujols drew a 40-second standing ovation when his name was announced prior to a first-inning at-bat, with catcher and longtime teammate Yadier Molina stepping in front of the plate to prolong the cheer. They had a short embrace before Pujols stepped in. Pujols promptly drilled the fourth pitch from J.A. Happ on a line over the wall in left. It was his 679th career home run and 17th of the season.

“It’s one of those things that you hope could happen,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. “But the likelihood is very improbable. Getting a standing ovation and then homering in that first at-bat. Storybook. I’m a firm believer that the game honors you. The way Albert’s played the game for so long, the right way, that’s the way it was supposed to go.”

Pujols tried to downplay the moment.

“When it happens, you just let it happen,” he said. “It’s part of the game. Embrace the moment. But try not to get caught up too much.”

His teammates had no problem enjoying the special moment.

“It was pretty surreal,” Turner said. “Pretty cool for everyone in the stadium — not just Albert. Every time he hits a homer, you’re watching history.”

The 10-time MLB All-Star drew a similar fan reaction when he returned to St. Louis with the Los Angeles Angels for the first time in 2019. He was given a standing ovation in all 12 plate appearances that series, including a one-minute tribute in his first trip to the plate. He also homered in the first game of that series.

Pujols, who did not play in the series opener Monday night, went 1-for-4. The first baseman signed a 10-year deal with the Angels after the 2011 season, then joined the Dodgers last May.

Carlos Correa Homers to Lift Houston Astros to Victory Over the New York Yankees

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Carlos Correa leads his team to victory…

In a battle of the bullpens, the 25-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop hit a leadoff home run in the 11th inning that lifted the Houston Astros over the New York Yankees 3-2 on Sunday night, tying the AL Championship Series at one game apiece.

Carlos Correa

Correa, who earlier lined an RBI double and made a sensational play at shortstop, connected for an opposite-field shot to right off J.A. Happ.

“Not playing a couple of weeks before the playoffs and then not producing for my team offensively, obviously it’s tough, getting hurt and everything,” the All-Starsaid. “But it’s all worth it for moments like this, moments like this where you give your team a chance to win every day, it’s worth it, man.”

Hours earlier, Correa was confident this would be the day he turned things around after  slumping this month. After starting out 3 for 22 in the postseason after returning from back problems.

“I’ve got my swing back,” he said then. “I’m going to hit a homer tonight.”

And with a swing that kept Houston from falling into an 0-2 hole, he did just that.

“Going into that last inning I thought: `I got this. I feel like I got this,'” Correa said. “And I had the right approach against him. I’ve been successful against him going the other way. And that’s what I try to do, I saw a good pitch down the middle and I drove the other way.”

Correa watched the ball sail, tossed his bat, put his hand to one ear to soak in the roars of the crowd and then held up one finger as he rounded the bases. As he approached home plate, he tossed his helmet as if shooting a basketball at the crowd of teammates waiting for him.

“As soon as I hit it I knew it was going to go over the fence,” he said. “The adrenaline started pumping like crazy. I don’t even know what I did. I’ve got to go watch the video. But I know I was so hyped.”

Correa’s big night gave him 27 RBIs in the postseason to pass Lance Berkmanfor the most in franchise history. And it was a familiar scene — in Game 2 of the 2017ALCS against the Yankees, Correa hit a walk-off double in the ninth.

“You look at his RBI totals in the postseason, you look at his walk-offs, you look at the big moments, he’s a pretty special man,” manager AJ Hinchsaid.

Game 3 is Tuesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. 

CC Sabathia Agrees to One-Year Deal with the New York Yankees

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CC Sabathia is heading back to the mound…

The 33-year-old Dominican American Major League Baseball pitcher has reached an agreement with the New York Yankees valued at $8 million, according to ESPN.

CC Sabathia

Sabathia, a lefty, has played the past 10 seasons of his 18-season career with the Yankees.

Sabathia went 9-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts last year for a 100-win New York club that lost in the American League Division Series to the Boston Red Sox.

He took a cut in salary from $25 million in 2017 to $10 million in ’18. An ejection in his final start of the regular season cost Sabathia a $500,000 bonus that he would have earned for reaching 155 innings pitched.

Sabathia, who underwent right knee surgery in October, is one of just three returning members of the Yankees’ 2018 rotation, joining Luis Severino and Masahiro Tanaka.

Starter J.A. Happ is a free agent, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had said the team hopes to re-sign him, as well.

Cashman also is expected to pursue a group of free-agent pitchers that includes left-handers Patrick Corbin and Dallas Keuchel.

New York already this offseason re-signed Brett Gardner, so keeping Sabathia maintains two veteran presences in the clubhouse.

“These are known commodities,” Cashman said. “We know exactly who they are in that clubhouse, who they are dealing with our press and our fans, and obviously — most importantly — competing on the field of play.”