USA Today Sports / Reuters
The Nationals’ Bryce Harper slammed out a dramatic victory in baseball’s Home Run Derby in front of a euphoric hometown crowd in Washington, D.C. Monday night. Philadelphia’s Rhys Hoskins kicked off proceedings with 17 dingers as the first batter, making him look like the man to beat in the first round. But Harper sneaked through the round with 13, along with Freddie Freeman of Atlanta with 12. Harper then beat out the Dodgers’ Max Muncy, while an epic second-round battle between Hoskins and Chicago Cub Kyle Schwarber saw the latter emerge, setting up a Harper-Schwarber final. Schwarber went up first in the final and hit an additional 18 out of the park, making Harper’s chances look slim. After a slow start, Harper hit No. 18 in the final seconds of the allotted four minutes. With the 30 extra seconds earned after collecting two 440-foot shots, he took that up to No. 19—sealing a dramatic victory in front of his home crowd.