The Home Run Derby is built for hometown heroes, and Philadelphia had one lined up. Jordan Walker spoiled the script.
The finish
Walker, the Cardinals' 24-year-old slugger, edged Schwarber 12-11 in the final at Citizens Bank Park to win the Derby in his first appearance, MLB.com reported. Schwarber, the Phillies' left fielder and the crowd favorite, had set the bar at 11 in the final round, leaving Walker needing a late surge. He got it, running off a string of home runs to pass Schwarber and send the partisan crowd into a stunned hush.
First for the franchise
The win carried a bit of history: Walker became the first St. Louis Cardinal ever to win the Home Run Derby, Sports Illustrated reported. For a storied franchise with a long list of great hitters, it was a first-time trophy, claimed by one of its youngest stars.
A breakout stage
The Derby doubled as a coming-out party for Walker, a former top prospect who has broken through this season. He arrived at the All-Star break as one of the game's productive young bats and, under the bright lights of the exhibition, showed off the raw power that has long marked his game. He also collected the event's seven-figure prize, a nice bonus for a player still early in his career.
Around the field
The night had its other highlights: Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero launched the longest drive of the competition, a towering blast measured at 491 feet, ESPN reported. But the story belonged to Walker, who walked into a hostile ballpark, outslugged the local favorite and walked out with the trophy. Not a bad way to spend a first Derby.
