2021 MLB Home Run derby: Pete Alonso defends his crown, while Shohei Ohtani shines in slugfest at Coors Field
Pete Alonso #PeteAlonso
Everyone agrees, MLB’s All Star jerseys are terrible
SHARE
SHARE
TWEET
SHARE
Click to expand
UP NEXT
Mets slugger Pete Alonso retained his Home Run Derby crown, defeating Trey Mancini in the final round on Monday night at Coors Field in Denver.
Alonso came out of the gate with a record 35 home runs in the first round and made it look easy, defeating Juan Soto in the semifinals. His 23rd homer of the final round walked it off against Mancini, the Orioles star who missed the 2020 season with colon cancer.
Top-seeded Shohei Ohtani, who leads the majors with 33 home runs, was upset in the first round by Juan Soto of the Nationals in a wild matchup that required a second tie-breaking swing-off to decide. The Angels’ two-way star appearance in the derby was just 24 hours before he takes the field as the AL’s starting pitcher and leadoff hitter in the Midsummer Classic.
© Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Pete Alonso poses for photographs after winning the derby.
From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.
Alonso joins Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99) and Yoenis Cespedes (2014-15) as the only players to win back-to-back events.
Here’s how the night unfolded in Denver:
Home Run Derby final round
Pete Alonso (Mets) vs. Trey Mancini (Orioles)
Semifinals
Pete Alonso (Mets) defeats Juan Soto (Nationals)
Trey Mancini (Orioles) defeats Trevor Story (Rockies)
© Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Pete Alonso is fired up after slugging 35 first-round homers. First round results
No. 8 Juan Soto (Nationals) defeats No. 1 Shohei Ohtani (Angels)
No. 5 Pete Alonso (Mets) defeats No. 4 Salvador Perez (Royals)
No. 2 Joey Gallo (Rangers) vs. No. 7 Trevor Story (Rockies)
No. 6 Trey Mancini (Orioles) defeats No. 3 Matt Olson (Athletics)
Fan flips over railing trying to catch home run
During Monday’s contest while Matt Olson was at bat, the Oakland Athletics first baseman crushed a baseball out to deep right field for a home run.
One fan in the stands thought it was his lucky day and went up for the ball. Unfortunately for him, his attempted catch sent him up and over the entrance railing to the upper deck and he came crashing to the ground.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2021 MLB Home Run derby: Pete Alonso defends his crown, while Shohei Ohtani shines in slugfest at Coors Field