Down to his final swing, Jordan Walker powers his way to first Derby win for Cardinals
Published in Baseball
PHILADELPHIA — When he reached his 15th and final swing of the championship round of the Home Run Derby, Jordan Walker trailed Kyle Schwarber still be three home runs.
But as long as he hit every pitch from there out of the park, he had a chance to continue and even overtake the Philly favorite.
Walker hit four consecutive magenta balls to not just tie Schwarber but overtake Schwarber and become the first Cardinals player ever to win a Home Run Derby. Walker's four homers when he faced elimination on any one of those swings put him ahead of Schwarber, 12 to 11.
Walker wins a trophy and a $1-million prize.
Bullpen catcher Kleininger Teran was his pitcher, and it's the second time in as many Derbies that Teran has pitched to at least a semifinalist.
Walker hit eight home runs in his first swings to put himself right on the precipice of elimination. With every pitch he was booed by the sellout crowd eager to see their slugger win the trophy. That was when Walker settled, and with his swing as smooth as ever and his power easier than any other hitter in the Derby he kept crushing baseballs into the left field seats to win.
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