Budarick Shatters 14-Year Home Run Record in Historic Season.

PAKENHAM — Cardinals slugger Connor Budarick cemented his place in league history this week, breaking a 14-year-old home run record in emphatic fashion. With two games still remaining in the regular season, Budarick crushed his 40th, 41st, and 42nd homers, rewriting the record books and putting an exclamation mark on one of the most dominant campaigns the league has ever seen. Budarick’s power surge has been relentless all summer. In 21 games, he’s put together an eye-popping stat line: • 42 HR • 96 RBI • .845 batting average • 2.464 slugging percentage • 3.303 OPS The combination of average and power has made Budarick nearly impossible to pitch against. His 71 hits in just 84 at-bats include 8 doubles and a triple, but it’s the home run total that has captured the spotlight. Surpassing the long-standing mark, Budarick not only broke the record but obliterated it, setting a new standard that could stand for years. “This is something special,” said a Cardinals teammate after the game. “You don’t just see seasons like this. Every time Connor steps to the plate, you expect the ball to leave the park.” The Cardinals, buoyed by Budarick’s bat, remain in first place heading into the final week. With two games left to play, the question now isn’t if Budarick will add to his total, but how high he can push it. For Budarick, it’s a legacy-defining year that will be remembered long after the final out is recorded.