Cardinals mega-prospect Oscar Taveras suffers ankle injury - MLB

Cardinals outfield prospect Oscar Taveras left today’s game against the Fresno Grizzlies with an ankle injury, tweets Joe Strauss. He suffered the injury attempting to steal a base in the ninth inning. As of yet, there are no details on the severity of the injury.

Taveras was rated the #3 overall prospect by both Baseball America and MLB.com entering the season, and was hitting .314 entering the game. Taveras, getting his first taste of Triple-A competition this year, turns 21 next month.

Update (10:00 PM): Derrick Goold tweets…

Taveras day to day with right ankle injury. X-Rays taken and no fracture found, per official. #stlcards #cardinals #stlminors

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) May 13, 2013

ST. LOUIS — Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols hit his 701st home run, connecting Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pujols launched a slider from former teammate Johan Oviedo over the Big Mac Land sign in left field at Busch Stadium. The solo drive in the fourth inning made it 1-all.

Pujols faced Oviedo for the first time and made the 24-year-old righty the 456th different pitcher he’s homered against.

The St. Louis star hadn’t homered in a week since hitting No. 699 and 700 at Dodger Stadium last Friday. Pujols had gone 10 at-bats without a home run after two starts and one pinch-hit appearance.

The Busch Stadium crowd gave the 42-year-old Pujols a long standing ovation before he came out of the Cardinals dugout to tip his cap for a curtain call.

Pujols hit his 22nd home run this season for the NL Central champion Cardinals.

Pujols is fourth on the career home run list behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).