Philadelphia recently hosted the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park, an event that saw Jordan Walker of the Cardinals emerge victorious over the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber in the final round. The competition, held on July 13, featured dramatic swings and a boisterous home crowd.
Walker secured his win by hitting four home runs in “bonus time,” ultimately defeating Schwarber with a score of 12-11. Schwarber, who batted first in the final, hit 11 homers from his allotted 15 swings. Walker then followed, facing a crowd of 43,863 Phillies fans who largely booed his efforts, cheering only when he failed to hit a home run. Despite the crowd’s reaction, Walker managed to hit six homers with two swings remaining, trailing Schwarber by five. He then hit two consecutive homers on his final two swings, followed by four straight in bonus time, allowing him to surpass Schwarber’s total.
The format of the Home Run Derby this year returned to a swing-based system, allowing hitters to continue swinging if they hit a home run on their final attempt. This change provided additional time between swings, enabling players to track their hits and the crowd to react. Walker, who wore his Cardinals hat backward and chewed bubble gum, celebrated his win with his family on the field, fulfilling what he described as a childhood dream.
Schwarber’s Journey to the Final
Kyle Schwarber‘s path to the final was marked by a strong performance, though he admitted the home crowd’s energy might have made him “amped up” in the initial rounds. In the first round, Schwarber finished with 10 homers, narrowly advancing in fourth place among the eight contestants. His teammate, Bryce Harper, hit 8 homers and did not progress to the next stage.
Schwarber faced the Red Sox’s Willson Contreras in the semifinals. Schwarber hit 9 homers in this matchup, while Contreras fell short with 8. The crowd’s support for Schwarber was evident, as they cheered every time Contreras did not hit a home run and booed otherwise. In the other semifinal, Jordan Walker defeated the Rays’ Junior Caminero with a score of 6-5. Caminero had hit a 491-foot home run in the semifinals, which was the longest of the night at that point, but only managed 5 homers in the round.
Earlier in the competition, Willson Contreras set a high bar as the first batter, hitting 13 homers, with his longest traveling 490 feet. Jordan Walker, batting next, also hit 13 homers, including one at 470 feet, tying Contreras for the lead after the bonus round. Other participants in the first round included Munetaka Murakami (9 homers), Jac Caglianone (8 homers), and Ben Rice (7 homers).
Fan Engagement and Player Reactions
The atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park was highly charged, with Phillies fans vociferously cheering their home players, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, and booing the other six contestants. Ben Rice of the Yankees reportedly received some of the loudest boos. Harper, who had previously stated that the 2018 derby would be his last, decided to participate this year due to the event being held in Philadelphia, expressing his desire to win again.
Schwarber acknowledged the intensity of the crowd, noting that the “hometown cooking is real here.” He recounted how other players observed the strong home support. Despite the crowd’s efforts to influence the outcome, Walker managed to maintain his focus. Schwarber commented on Walker‘s ability to “slow the moment down, and lock it in” during his crucial swings.
The event also highlighted local connections, with Kevin McGonigle, a 21-year-old infielder drafted by the Detroit Tigers, set to make his first appearance at Citizens Bank Park for the American League team on July 14. McGonigle, a lifelong Phillies fan, described the experience as a “dream come true.”
The Home Run Derby was sold out, marking the first time the event and the All-Star Game were held at Citizens Bank Park since its opening in 2004. This year’s derby was also aired on Netflix as part of a three-event package, which includes the opening night game and the Field of Dreams game between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies on August 13.
Source: eu.delawareonline.com