Home Run Derby 2011: Adrian Gonzalez Puts On A Show, Comes Up Just Short
With a record tying final round in the books, Adrian Gonzalez was assured that the title of 2011 Homerun Derby Champion was all his. Little could he have expected, the freight train that was Robinson Cano would put on a historic performance that would instantly demote the incredible day of work the Boston All-Star had.
Leading into the Homerun Derby, Vegas pegged Gonzalez as an 11/2 underdog despite the fact that the former San Diego Padre knew the ins-and-outs of Chase Field like the back of his hand, having played within its confines a countless number of times. That knowledge paid off immediately, as Gonzalez crushed nine and eleven homeruns in the first two rounds. By the time eliminations rolled by, the Red Sox first basemen sat tied at the top of the leaderboard with an incredible 20 homeruns, most of them towering, highlight-reel shots that stunned the Arizona crowd.
That momentum continued once the final round commenced, as Gonzalez rolled to a record tying 11 dingers. Throughout the performance his blasts scattered across the park in spectacular fashion. Left field, center field, right field; it didn’t matter, he touched them all. In the end, no one could have anticipated the force of nature that Cano would become, but that shouldn’t marginalize the amazing show the newest Red Sox All-Star put on.
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