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SPORTS Wednesday 10 July 2019

HR Derby

Continued from Page 18 the Tunnel to Towers Foun-
dation.
“There’s so many guys that “I’ve been living a fan-
just put on a show, like Joc, tasy,” Alonso said. “And
he was amazing, Vladdy, I just want to use my plat-
they did such a good job,” form as almost kind of just
Alonso said. “Everybody reach out to people and
put on a show. To me it just make people aware of
didn’t really seem like the these causes. And I hope
jitters were there, because that other people could
everyone was awesome. I find the kindness in their
mean everyone was show- hearts.”
ing their stuff.” One of the only bright spots
After his last homer cleared this season for the strug-
the wall, Alonso was gling Mets, Alonso gave
swarmed by the NL All-Stars New York’s NL fans some-
who along with a crowd of thing to brag about while
36,119 fans were treated to the Yankees chase anoth-
a power display unlike any er title.
in the event’s history. He showed some dramatic Pete Alonso, of the New York Mets, celebrates winning the Major League Baseball Home Run
“This was surreal,” Alonso flair with two nail-biting wins Derby, Monday, July 8, 2019, in Cleveland. The MLB baseball All-Star Game will be played Tuesday.
said. to reach the final against Associated Press
Alonso is the second rookie Guerrero. He nipped was going to beat me They were tied 29-all af- Cleveland was also won by
to win outright, following Cleveland’s Carlos San- because he was hitting ter their four-minute round a New Yorker — Yankees
Yankees star Aaron Judge tana 14-13 in the first round second,” Guerrero said and then again following a first baseman Tino Martinez,
in 2017. He’s also the first and Atlanta’s Ronald Acu- through a translator. “It was 60-second session. Guerre- who took the 1997 crown
Mets player to win the der- ña Jr. 20-19 in the second back-and-forth and back- ro and Pederson then each over a field which included
by since Darryl Strawberry to set up a showdown with and forth. It was really tir- homered once when given Hall of Famers Ken Griffey
shared the title with Wally the 20-year-old Guerrero, ing.” three swings, forcing an- Jr. and Jim Thome, who
Joyner in 1986. whose Hall of Fame father His hands blistered, Guer- other best-of-three round. didn’t clear the walls once.
Alonso, making the ma- won the event in 2007. rero more than equaled his Guerrero hit two, scream- Santana fared better than
jor league minimum of With one of baseball’s most season’s salary of $468,468. ing at his second shot, Thome, hitting 13 dingers in
$555,000 this season, has fearsome swings, Guerrero He got $500,000 for finish- which barely cleared the the first round. But Alonso
hit 30 home runs. The first figured to be a force but ing second, plus a $100,000 19-foot high wall in left. rallied with two homers in
baseman will showcase there was no way of pre- bonus for hitting the longest Pederson couldn’t match the final 15 seconds to hit
his swing again in Tuesday dicting he’d hit 91 homers homer. up, hitting a grounder on 14 as the Cleveland crowd
night’s All-Star Game as — 74 more than his dad’s “I gave all I had. I’m proud his final cut before both sneered.
baseball continues this sea- entire total 12 years ago. I hit 91 home runs,” he said. players shared an exhaust- “I didn’t think I’d ever be
son of the longball. Following the event, Guer- Guerrero defeated Ped- ed embrace near home booed at a Home Run Der-
And he’ll also give 10% of rero slowly walked to his erson in a semifinal that plate as the fellow All-Stars by, to be honest with you,”
his prize money to charity chair in the clubhouse and required three extra stood and applauded like Alonso said. “But I guess
— 5% each to the Wound- sat down. swing(ings) and will go regular fans. that’s the hometown home
ed Warrior Project and to “I was kind of scared he down in derby lore. The last Home Run Derby in cooking.”q

All-Stars make attractive trade targets as deadline nears

By BEN WALKER up for. ... There’s really noth- Dodgers. Greene has 22
AP Baseball Writer ing you can do about it un- saves and a 1.09 ERA for
CLEVELAND (AP) — For a less you have a no-trade the last-place Detroit Ti-
day, Will Smith was in for clause.” “I mean obviously gers, making him an attrac-
quite a treat — teammates there’s a select handful of tive option for teams in the
with Clayton Kershaw, Fred- guys whose names are al- playoff chase.
die Freeman and Christian ways thrown out there, so “It’s a business and it’s part
Yelich. it’s always the teams at the of the game. Right now,
Soon, the San Francisco re- top of the division looking I’m here. I’m going to enjoy
liever could be playing with to get stronger and teams myself,” Greene said.
one of them for real. at the bottom looking to Stroman is 5-9 with a 3.18
Smith went into the All-Star get something in return, so ERA for Toronto, a team
Game on Tuesday night we’ll see what happens,” that hopes to build for the
well aware his days with the he said. future with the likes of Vladi-
last-place Giants might be At last year’s All-Star Game, mir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan
dwindling. there was little doubt it was Biggio. “I don’t know if I’ll
“If I get traded, it’ll be the Detroit Tigers’ Shane Greene pitches against the Washington Manny Machado’s last time be part of it,” Stroman said.
fourth time,” the left-hand- Nationals during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, in a Baltimore uniform. He Some teams, such as the
er said. “After the first one, June 29, 2019, in Detroit. Greene recorded his 22nd save in the even gave a hint of what Indians, will see where the
you’re kind of numb to it.” team’s 7-5 win. to come when he pulled next few weeks take them.
Fellow All-Star pitchers Associated Press out his phone — while play- They’ve recently closed
Marcus Stroman, Shane Hand is an old hand at this. the break. ing shortstop — and posed the gap on Minnesota in
Greene and Brad Hand The San Diego Padres sent “I didn’t really think I was for a selfie with Dodgers the AL Central, meaning
also are possible trade tar- the left-hander to Cleve- going to get traded last outfielder Matt Kemp. Hand and his 23 saves and
gets as the July 31 deadline land just two days after the year,” Hand said Monday. The next day, the Orioles 2.17 ERA might not be so
approaches. 2018 All-Star Game, during “It’s part of what we signed traded Machado to the expendable.q