Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez defeated Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. 14-13 in a close duel on Monday to win the Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, as part of the 94th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
At 31 years old, Hernandez made his debut in the competition and became the first Dodgers player to win the title.
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Hernandez extended the Dominican hegemony for the third consecutive edition and also became the eighth player from his country to win this home run festival along with Sammy Sosa (2000), Miguel Tejada (2004), Vladimir Guerrero (2007), David Ortiz (2010), Robinson Canó (2011), Juan Soto (2022) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2023).
He hit 49 home runs in the three rounds.
Alec Borh of the Philadelphia Phillies opened the competition, which in its first round was played in a “round robin” format, in which the four players with the most home runs advanced, using as a parameter the 21 balls they sent behind the wall.
Dominican Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians matched Borh’s 21 home runs.
The two finished tied for the most in the first round, but the Phillies third baseman advanced to the semifinals as the first with the longest home run of any participant.
Witt Jr. claimed third place in the first round by hitting 20 out-of-bounds hits. At 24, he finished with 50 home runs in the competition.
Hernandez earned the fourth spot in the semifinals after finishing his three-minute regulation time with 11 home runs, took advantage of the four outs he got as a bonus, and added eight more homers to finish with 19 and thereby eliminate the local favorite, the Cuban Adolis García, who finished with 18 homers.
Eliminated were Dominican Marcell Ozuna (16) of the Braves; Pete Alonso (12) of the Mets, who was seeking to win his third title in the competition, and Gunnar Henderson (11), of the Orioles.
In the semifinals, which were decided by direct elimination, Witt Jr. managed to send the ball over the fence 17 times, enough to knock out the Dominican Ramirez, who sent 12.
In the second semi-final, Hernandez and Borh tied at 14 home runs, including regular time and bonus time, which forced them to go to a tiebreaker round, in which the one who hit the most home runs in three swings advanced.
The Dominican won by placing two balls beyond the playing field and the American one.
The final was played in two minutes and 27 pitches, unlike the other rounds, which were played for three minutes or 40 pitches.
Hernandez, who finished the semifinal with 16 homers, started first in the final and hit 14 homers.
Witt Jr. came within inches of tying the game when he connected with a shot off the top of the wall, but he couldn’t get it done and finished with 13 homers.
Hernandez takes home a purse of one million dollars and Witt Jr. $750,000.
Dominican Ozuna hit the longest home run of the night (473 feet).
Alonso was looking to win the Home Run Derby for the third time to join Ken Griffey Jr. but was eliminated when he managed just 12 in the first round.
