2nd Home Run title for Cespedes
Print Edition
OAKLAND Athletics slugger Yoenis Cespedes brushed off the Minneapolis rain and worked his way through a revamped format to become only the second player to successfully defend baseball’s Home Run Derby title on Monday.
In the prelude to yesterday’s All Star game, Cuban Cespedes came out top as baseball’s best long-ball hitters put on a display of strength, hand-eye coordination and timing after an hour-long rain delay at Target Field.
Only Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr (1998-99) had previously won back-to-back titles in the contest, which has kicked off the All Star festivities since the mid-1980s.
“I just discovered recently Ken Griffey Jr won consecutive titles and so it made me want it more,” Cespedes said. “I was able to get past the first round, breathe and gather myself to go on and win this.”
This year’s event showcased a new format with five players each from the American and National Leagues competing in the opening round and competitors advancing to head-to-head matchups within their respective league until the final.
Cespedes narrowly escaped the first round after he needed a tiebreaker swing-off to beat Oakland teammate Josh Donaldson.
From there, he caught fire as he smashed seven home runs to oust Toronto’s Jose Bautista and advance to the final, where he added nine more blasts to overpower Todd Frazier of the Cincinnati Reds.
Bautista was the star of the first round where he powered 10 home runs.
This year’s exhibition included some fresh faces, including Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig and Miami standout, Giancarlo Stanton, who was one of the favorites coming into the showcase.
Stanton reached the semifinal round but lost to Frazier 0-1. Puig, the flashy 23-year-old Cuban, could not deliver his usual excitement and failed to record a home run as he made a first-round exit.
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