Rocking and rolling
Bregman loses in first round of Derby won by Mets’ Alonso
CLEVELAND — Alex Bregman’s stay in this momentous Home Run Derby was in peril before he took a swing.
Joc Pederson pulverized 21 firstround home runs Monday night, putting Bregman in a deficit only a heroic display could overcome. Bregman managed 16 long balls, falling in the first-round for a second straight year.
Pederson exited after a stunning semifinal matchup with Blue Jays rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that required three separate tiebreakers to decide. Tied at 29 after the four-min
ute round and a 60-second swing-off, the two required consecutive three-swing bonus rounds to determine a winner.
Guerrero beat Pederson 40-39 and advanced to face the Mets’ Pete Alonso in an all-rookie final round. Alonso defeated a worn-out Guerrero Jr. 23-22 to win the title and $1 million in prize money that augments his $550,000 salary.
Guerrero Jr. hit a Derby-record 91 home runs — and lost. For perspective, his father Vladimir Guerrero hit 17 total to win the 2007 Derby.
“That was so fun,” said Bregman, who stayed on the field to back Guerrero throughout his run. “That has to be one of the best derbies ever. Vlad Jr. was incredible. Pete Alonso was incredible. Joc was incredible. That second-round matchup with Joc and Vladdy is remarkable.”
Bregman managed one more first-round home run than last season, when he lost to the Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber 16-15.
This battle, pitting the No. 4 seed Bregman against No. 5 Pederson, was nowhere near that close.
Hitting pitches lobbed by longtime Astros bullpen catcher Javier Bracamonte, Bregman employed a consistent plan — to pull low line drives to left field. Progressive Field’s 19-foot-high “Little Green Monster” was unforgiving, stealing at least four Bregman bombs. Such shots would have sailed into the Crawford Boxes.
“I needed them to go like three feet higher,” Bregman said. “I may have to contemplate Home Run Derby retirement until it comes back to Houston.”
Pederson, a lefthanded hitter, faced no such issue. He started slow, accruing just four home runs during the first 1:49 of his four-minute round.
In the next two minutes, Pederson crushed 13, giving him a comfortable lead. The Dodgers outfielder added five during a 30-second bonus period, awarded because he hit two baseballs 440 feet or further.
“That was a lot,” Bregman said with a smirk. “We better giddyup. We just didn’t get there. (Bracamonte) was laying them in there nice.”
Bregman did not achieve the bonus time. His longest home run traveled 417 feet.
The brash Astros third baseman hit a home run on the third swing he took. He called his one timeout with 2:30 left in his round and six home runs on his ledger. Teammates Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and George Springer gathered in a huddle to offer encouragement.
Bregman had one fine stretch, striking four homers in a row to reach 13 with 1:15 remaining. He did not hit another until 25 seconds were left.
Bregman is the third Astros player to participate in multiple derbies, joining Lance Berkman and Jeff Bagwell. Both players were four-time contestants.
“It’s just so fun,” Bregman said. “It’s a blast every time. I just have fun going out there and competing with everybody.”