Pujols reaches 1,200 RBIs, joins Aaron and Rodriguez

DETROIT (AP) — Albert Pujols is the third player with 2,000 career RBIs.

Pujols hit a solo homer in the third inning Thursday for the Los Angeles Angels against the Detroit Tigers, putting him in a group with Hank Aaron (2,297) and Alex Rodriguez (2,086). Detroit left-hander Ryan Carpenter threw Pujols a fastball over the middle of the plate and he sent the 2-0 pitch deep into the right-field seats.

Pujols received an ovation by the sparse crowd at Comerica Park, where his accomplishment was recognized on the videoboards and by the public address announcer.

“He’s one of the greatest hitters ever to walk the planet, without question,” Angels manager Brad Ausmus said recently. “For about 10 years, he was the best. He was the Mike Trout of his time. Really, it went from Pujols to (Miguel) Cabrera to Trout, but Albert’s body of work is clearly the best.”

Babe Ruth is credited with 1,992 RBIs in his career because baseball’s official records don’t count the runs the slugger drove in with the Boston Red Sox from 1914 through 1919.