Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Hometown Home Run Derby champion
The Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper signals to the crowd as he walks back to the dugout during the MLB Home Run Derby at Nationals Park on Monday night. Harper rallied late in the final and defeated the Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber.
WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper thrilled the home crowd and surely made his father proud, winning the All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday night with an exceptional display of power that carried him past Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs, 19-18.
Harper hit the contestwinning blast in extra time, the reward for hitting two homers at least 440 feet during the 4 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.
Harper arranged to have his father, Ron, pitch to him in the annual contest on the eve of the All-Star Game. Harper, a six-time NL AllStar, responded with a performance that drew the loudest cheers of the night.
Wearing a headband that resembled the District of Columbia flag and displaying a right sleeve with stars and stripes, Harper trailed 18-9 with 1:20 left before rallying.
The 2015 NL MVP has had an uneven season and the Nationals are stuck at .500 after making four playoff appearances in the previous six years.
Schwarber hit the most home runs in the derby with 55 through three rounds. But Harper was the only player to get the crowd roaring. The crowd favorite in his home stadium, Harper needed 13 homers to eliminate the Dodgers’ Max Muncy, and he blasted his 13th to right field with about a minute left in his 4 minutes of hitting time.
Schwarber needed 21 homers to eliminate Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies, who had 20. Both players had 37 homers through the first two rounds of the competition.
Harper had the most homers over 440 feet through two rounds with nine.
This is Harper’s second Home Run Derby. He previously participated in 2013 and said he would give it another try when the AllStar Game came to Washington.
Wearing a District of Columbia flag bandanna on his forehead, Harper hit 13 homers at Nationals Park to eliminate Freddie Freeman in the first round. He hit six homers measured at more than 440 feet, the most of any competitor.
The son of former major league pitcher Bobby Witt has won a competition for high-schoolers during the Home Run Derby.
Bobby Witt Jr. hit eight homers in 90 seconds at Nationals Park to beat Rece Hinds by one.
Witt’s dad pitched for seven teams in 16 seasons, winning 142 games. He spent most of his career with the Texas Rangers and was never an All-Star.
Harper arranged to have his father, Ron, pitch to him in the annual contest on the eve of the All-Star Game.