Fernandez had hoped to come here for the 2009 All-Star game but couldn’t although he did see Pujols in Seattle when Pujols played for the Angels.
After catching a first pitch thrown by his countryman Friday at Busch Stadiium, Pujols made sure that wasn’t the highlight of Fernandez’s night. He was going to give the president a signed, authenticated game jersey but there was much more.
Pujols blasted homer No. 698 of his career in the sixth inning to tie a game the Cardinals would win 6-5 over the Cincinnati Reds. Fernandez was to head to New York on Saturday for other business but he had said he might have to cancel his plans if Pujols hit two homers to get even closer to 700.