Jordan Walker stunned a sold-out Citizens Bank Park crowd Monday night by hitting six home runs in a row on his final swings to beat hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber 12-11 in the Home Run Derby final, becoming the first Cardinals player in franchise history to win the event.
Schwarber, in his third Derby appearance, had the Philadelphia crowd on its feet through the entire competition.
They cheered every Schwarber swing. They booed everyone else. Walker heard it all and answered with six straight bombs, closing with a 407-foot blast to left that settled the whole thing.
"My thought was Philly is brutal," Walker said. "I mean, honestly. But I think it's pretty special because they love their players, and that's what you want from where you play."
Schwarber acknowledged the crowd had him too wired from the first swing. "From Pitch 1 where I felt like I was just going too hard, trying way too hard because I wanted to go get it and I wanted to do it for them." He was gracious in defeat. "Jordan was unbelievable there."
The night's other highlights: Junior Caminero hit a 491-foot blast, the longest of the night. Bryce Harper was eliminated in the first round with just eight home runs in front of his home fans.
Ben Rice, going in hot with 28 home runs on the season, managed only seven and was also eliminated in round one.
Walker beat Caminero in the semis while Schwarber edged Willson Contreras before the two met in the final.
Walker hit 31 total home runs on the night, the same as Schwarber. He won on the ones that mattered.