WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper has won the Home Run Derby in his home ballpark, providing another memory to Nationals fans in what could be his final season in Washington. Harper gave an uppercut fist pump after matching Kyle Schwarber’s 18 homers in the championship round on the final swing of his allotted 4 minutes.
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Because he hit two homers over 440 feet, Harper got 30 seconds of extra time. He launched the winning blast on his second extra swing, holding his bat over his head and walking down the first-base line as it cleared the center-field fence.
The 2015 NL MVP has had an uneven season and the Nationals are stuck at .500 after making four playoff appearances in the previous six years.
The crowd favorite in his home stadium, Harper needed 13 homers to eliminate the Dodgers’ Max Muncy, and he blasted his 13th to right field with about a minute left in his 4 minutes of hitting time.
The Chicago Cubs’ Schwarber hit the most home runs in the derby with 55 through three rounds. But Harper was the only player to get the crowd roaring.
Harper had the most homers over 440 feet through two rounds with nine.
This is Harper’s second Home Run Derby. He previously participated in 2013 and said he would give it another try when the All-Star Game came to Washington.
Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and National League celebrates after his first round win during the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Nationals Park on Mon., July 16, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
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