WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper thrilled the home crowd and made his father proud, winning the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night with a display of power that carried him past Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs 19-18.
Harper hit the contest-winning blast in extra time, the reward for hitting two home runs at least 440 feet during the four minutes of regulation. After he connected with the game winner, the Washington Nationals slugger threw his bat in the air and pointed both index fingers toward the sky as a shower of streamers rained upon the crowd of 43,698.
Home run derby results
FIRST ROUND
(SD) PLAYER, TEAM TOT LONG ET VS (SD) PLAYER, TEAM TOT LONG ET
(8) Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia 17 463 :00 def. (1) Jesus Aguilar, Milwaukee 12 428 :00
(5) Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs 16 450 :30 def. (4) Alex Bregman, Houston 15 422 :00
(3) Max Muncy, LA Dodgers 17 435 :00 def. (6) Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs 16 479 :30
(2) Bryce Harper, Washington 13 467 :30 def. (7) Freddie Freeman, Atlanta 12 437 :00
SEMIFINALS
(SD) PLAYER, TEAM TOT LONG ET VS (SD) PLAYER, TEAM TOT LONG ET
(5) Kyle Schwarber, Chicago-x 21 462 :30 def. (8) Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia20 466 :30
(2) Bryce Harper, Washington-x 13 454 :30 def. (3) Max Muncy, Los Angeles 12 429 :00
CHAMPIONSHIP
(SD) PLAYER, TEAM TOT LONG ET VS (SD) PLAYER, TEAM TOT LONG ET
(2) Bryce Harper, Washington 19 478 :30 def. (5) Kyle Schwarber, Chicago 18 453 :30 x-earned extra time, but did not need it.
Seeding in parentheses based on 2018 home run totals through July 11th.
The six-time All-Star arranged to have his dad, Ron, pitch to him in the annual contest on the eve of the All-Star Game. Harper responded with a performance that drew the loudest cheers of the night at Nationals Park.
It's been a trying season for Harper, who's hitting only .214 for the disappointing Nationals. He won a contest that many sluggers avoid, fearful it might wear them out and throw them off.
The 2015 NL MVP beat Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and Max Muncy of the Dodgers before trumping the fifth-seeded Schwarber, who put the pressure on with a solid outing before Harper stepped to the plate.
Harper trailed Schwarber 18-9 with 1:20 left before rallying. He homered on nine of his last 10 swings before entering extra time.
Hours before the session, Harper spoke excitedly about having his dad pitch to him in the contest. The 25-year-old said his father "worked his tail off every single day to provide for me and my family" and "now being able to have him throw to me in a big league ballpark is the cherry on top."
Harper trailed Muncy of the Dodgers 12-4 with 2:20 left, then peeled off six home runs in 47 seconds before calling a timeout.
Harper returned to hit three more home runs in 22 seconds, the last of them inside the right-field foul pole.
Sports on 07/17/2018