New York Yankees rookie sensation Aaron Judge won yesterday the 2017 Home Run Derby, defeating the Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano in the final at Marlins Park in Miami.
In front of about 36,000 spectators Judge, who had a total of 47 homers during the derby, defeated Sano 11-10.
In the first round, the Yankees outfielder defeated the Miami Marlins’ Justin Bour 23-22, then in the semifinals he overpowered the Los Angeles Dodgers fellow rookie sensation Cody Bellinger 13-12 before taking on Sano.
Defending champion and host Giancarlo Stanton lost in the first round to Dominican Yankees’ catcher Gary Sanchez 17-16. Sanchez advanced to the semifinals but was eliminated by Sano 11-10.
Sano had won 11-10 in the first round against Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, while Bellinger defeated Charlie Blackmon, of the Rockies, 15-14.
This year the Home Run Derby featured six sluggers that will see action in tonight’s All-Star Game.
The players who will participate in this year’s mid-season Classic are Stanton, Sanchez, Judge, Bellinger, Blackmon and Sano.
Judge, who also got the longest homer of the competition (513 feet), is in contention to win baseball’s triple crown. He has a .329 batting average (third), has hit 30 homers (first) and has 66 RBIs (second). His 30 regular season homers are a record for a Yankees player before the All-Star break.
Stanton failed to join Ken Griffey Jr. (Seattle Mariners) and Cuban Yoenis Cespedes (Oakland Athletics) as winners of the Home Run Derby in back-to-back seasons. He would have been the first National League player to do so since 1985, when the event was held for the first time.
