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Yoenis Cespedes wins Home-Run Derby at Citi Field

It was a battle of new hotness in the Home-Run Derby at Citi Field, as Bryce Harper took on Yoenis Cespedes in the Home-Run Derby final at Citi Field tonight. Cespedes came out on top, getting nine in the final round.

Mike Ehrmann
Player Team Round 1 Round 2 Subtotal Finals Total
Yoenis Cespedes Athletics 17 6 23 9 32
Bryce Harper Nationals 8 8 16 8 24
Michael Cuddyer Rockies 7 8 15 15
Chris Davis Orioles 8 4 12 12
Pedro Alvarez Pirates 6 6 6
Prince Fielder Tigers 5 5 5
David Wright Mets 5 5 5
Robinson Cano Yankees 4 4 4

Cepedes blew the competition away in the first round, his 17 home-runs the biggest tally in any single section of the contest since the massive 28 home-runs put up by Josh Hamilton in 2008. That was more than anyone else put up in their first two round combined, so Cespedes cruised into the final: he was joined there by Harper, who posted even sessions of eight home-runs apiece, edging Michael Cuddyer for the other spot in the final. It wasn't a good day for the home-town hitters, as the Mets' Wright and Yankees' Cano, were eliminated in the first round, Cano finishing the night in last-place.

Harper continued his steady production in the final round, with another eight blasts. But it only took Cespedes five outs to surpass that, drilling his ninth home-run to center-field for the victory. He's the first Oakland Athletics hitter to with the title since Mark McGwire, back in 1992. It's the third time in four years that the winner has hit exactly 32 home-runs, Cespedes following David Ortiz in 2010 and Cano in 2011 (at Chase).