Bryce Harper Wins Home Run Derby
It was a night that Nationals fans-as well as the rest of the baseball world-will not soon forget as hometown hero Bryce Harper won the Home Run Derby.
First up Bryce faced longtime rival Freddie Freeman from the Atlanta Braves who coincidentally visit Nationals Park right after the All Star Break. Bryce-who dawned a bandana with the image of the DC flag-smacked in 13 home runs to beat Freeman 13-12 and advance to the second round.
Up next Bryce faced Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the Dodgers had great success against the Nationals this season (winning 5 out of 6 against Washington), tonight was a different occasion as Bryce edged Muncy by the same 13-12 score.
Bryce’s final opponent was Kyle Schwarber of the Chicago Cubs. Schwarber hit 18 home runs and Bryce got in a slump early. Harper approached the final minute having only hit 10 home runs and needing 8 more. Bryce called a timeout down 18-11 with 43 seconds left, and what happened next was pure magic. Harper smacked in 7 more runs before time expired. This set the stage for extra time, with Bryce only needing 1 home run to win it. Harper wasted no time getting it, and DC went crazy. Bryce celebrated his first Home Run Derby championship (in his second attempt) with his teammates Max Scherzer and Sean Doolittle, who will both appear alongside Harper in the All Star Game tomorrow, as well as fellow DC sports icon John Wall.
The Nationals will be represented in tomorrow’s All Star Game by Home Run Derby champion Bryce Harper, two time defending Cy Young champion Max Scherzer, and the champion of the bullpen cart Sean Doolittle.
