MIAMI (AP) — Aaron Judge was in his element Monday night in Miami, and the New York Yankees outfielder didn’t disappoint.
The rookie has won the Home Run Derby after entering the All-Star break as the major league leader in round-trippers. Judge concluded his majestic performance by downing Twins infielder Miguel Sano (sah-NOH’) in the final, 11-10. Judge still had almost two minutes left on the clock when he hit his derby-clinching bomb.
He had the longest homer of the first round, crushing a 501-foot shot in a wild 23-22 win over Justin Bour (bohr). The Miami first baseman had just energized his home crowd before the 25-year-old Judge stepped up to take his hacks. Judge beat Bour with a blast during his 30-second bonus window.
Judge also was impressive in the semifinals against Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger, clubbing shots of 504 and 513 foot en route to a 13-12 win.
Judge is the fourth Yankee to win the Derby after Tino Martinez in 1997, Jason Giambi in 2002 and Robinson Cano (kuh-NOH’) in 2011.
Defending champion Giancarlo Stanton was knocked out in the opening round by Yankees slugger Gary Sanchez, 17-16. Stanton said he got about 2 ½ hours’ sleep following the Marlins’ game at San Francisco on Sunday.
Boston Red Sox hurler Chris Sale and Washington Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer (SHUR’-zur) will be the starting pitchers for tonight’s All-Star game.
Sale will become the first pitcher to make consecutive All-Star starts representing different teams when he takes the mound for the American League. He has fanned a major league-high 178 and is 11-4 with a 2.75 ERA in his first year with the Bosox.
Scherzer started the 2013 midsummer classic for the AL while with Detroit before moving to the NL in 2015. He leads the majors with a 2.10 ERA and is 10-5 with 173 strikeouts for the Nationals.
