Aaron Judge smashes hit way to Home Run Derby title

MIAMI — Aaron Judge dominated the All-Star Home Run Derby in the same manner he has smashed his way through his rookie season.

The larger-than-life New York Yankees slugger beat Minnesota's Miguel Sano 11-10 with two minutes to spare in the final Monday night, reaching 513 feet and displaying remarkable power to all fields.

Judge, 6-foot-7 and 282 pounds, sprayed balls off the glass behind left field that supports the Marlins Park retractable roof, hit one over the Red Grooms home run sculpture in left-centre, over the batter's eye in straightaway centre and, unusually for a derby, to the opposite field, too. He also hit the roof near a light bank in left, 160 feet above the field. That drive didn't count.

Hitting second each time, Judge knocked out Miami's Justin Bour 23-22 in the first round and beat Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger 13-12 in the second. Then, with lightning visible behind the huge glass door, he hit a 458-foot drive to centre for the title.

Judge leads the major league with 30 home runs and some Yankees fans showed up to support him in their full dress — flowing black robes and white powdered wigs. Booed initially by the crowd of 37,027, Judge earned their cheers once defending champion Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins was eliminated in the first round.

Ronald Blum, The Associated Press