Pete Alonso danced to his second straight Home Run Derby title, besting Shohei Ohtani, Trey Mancini and Juan Soto on a night of record long balls in the thin Rocky Mountain air of Coors Field. The New York Mets first baseman hit 74 total home runs and beat Mancini 23-22 in the final round, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99) and Yoenis Céspedes (2013-14) in winning consecutive titles. Batting second, Alonso trailed 22-17 after the first two minutes of the final round, then hit six homers on six swings over the first 28 seconds of his final minute.
While he may not have won the derby, Ohtani was received with much fanfare in Denver Monday. Fans cheered as he was introduced at a news conference across the street from Coors Field. Ohtani is set to start on the mound and the batting lineup for the American League, when the All Star Game kicks off Tuesday night at 7:30. He currently leads the majors with 33 home runs and is 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts. Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals will start for the National League.
In other MLB news:
Arrest documents say a man described by authorities as the leader of a group of four people arrested with more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at a Denver hotel near the All-Star Game asked to extend his stay and requested another room with a balcony. The request by Ricardo Rodriquez coupled with the discovery of weapons and tactical gear on Friday concerned police because of the chances for mass violence at such events. Rodriquez told Denver's KCNC-TV that he wasn't aware of any such plans.
Major League Baseball will give at least $100 million over 10 years and help raise an additional $50 million to the Players Alliance aimed at increasing the number of Black players in the sport. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the decision before the Home Run Derby Monday, saying it would be the sport's largest charitable commitment. The Players Alliance was launched last year, and MLB and the Major League Players Association announced a $10 million commitment last September. In addition, 500 players donated a portion of their salaries on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day.
The Seattle Mariners have reinstated left-hander Yusei Kikuchi from the injured list, making him eligible to participate in the All-Star Game. Kikuchi was selected to the American League All-Star team for the first time in his career and is Seattle's lone representative. The Mariners placed Kikuchi on the injured list Sunday but did not disclose an injury. Manager Scott Servais said he could not comment but wasn't concerned about Kikuchi's status.
NHL
The Tampa Bay Lightning celebrated their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship with a boat parade in downtown Tampa on Monday. Team captain Steven Stamkos set the tone with a T-shirt that read: "BACK TO BOAT." Hundreds of boats and other watercraft, along with thousands of fans, lined the waterfront under mostly sunny skies. However, a post-parade rally in a downtown park was delayed because of a thunderstorm. Players later arrived and interacted with fans located behind barricades in a steady rain. This was the third boat parade in Tampa in 10 months. The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers also celebrated on the water.
In other NHL news:
The Chicago Blackhawks have traded two-time Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith to the Edmonton Oilers for young defenseman Caleb Jones and a third-round draft pick. The Blackhawks also sent forward Tim Soderlund to the Oilers, who were looking for some help on defense after they were swept by Winnipeg in the first round of the playoffs. The 2022 draft pick becomes a second-rounder if Edmonton reaches next year's Stanley Cup Final and Keith is among the top four Oilers defensemen in total ice time through three rounds. Keith has two years left on his contract at a salary-cap hit just over $5.5 million. He turns 38 on Friday.
Police in Michigan have turned over their investigation into the fireworks death of Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks (MAH'-tihs kihv-LEH'-nihks) to a prosecutor for review. Novi police Lt. Jason Meier says his department has not requested charges in Kivlenieks' Fourth of July death. Meier also says Kivlenieks' death still is considered accidental and the police investigation was complete unless otherwise directed by the Oakland County prosecutor's office.The 24-year-old died of chest trauma from an errant fireworks mortar blast.
An attorney who represents a former Chicago Blackhawks player who alleges he was sexually assaulted by a then-assistant coach in 2010 is open to the possibility of her client participating in the team's review of the accusations under the right conditions. Susan Loggans, an attorney who represents the former player and another person suing the team, says her clients were open to participating in the review.
SOCCER
British police have opened investigations into the racist abuse of three Black players who failed to score penalties in England's shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final. The Metropolitan Police department condemned the "unacceptable" abuse of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka and says it will be investigating the "offensive and racist" social media posts published soon after Italy won Sunday's shootout 3-2 following a 1-1 draw. The English Football Association says it is "appalled" by the "disgusting behavior." It adds that social media companies should take action to make their platforms free from this "abhorrent" abuse.
GOLF
Zach Johnson is the latest player out of the British Open. The R&A says the 2015 British Open champion tested positive for the coronavirus. Johnson played at the John Deere Classic in Illinois on Sunday and had to be tested before getting on a charter flight. The R&A says Louis de Jager also tested positive and withdrew. He was one of the local qualifiers from two weeks ago. Ryan Moore earned a spot as the highest finisher not already exempt from the John Deere Classic. Moore chose not to go. That makes 16 players who have withdrawn in the last three weeks.
THOROUGHBRED RACING
A New York federal judge seems sympathetic to horse trainer Bob Baffert's claims that his May suspension by the New York Racing Association was unconstitutional after Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit failed a postrace drug test. Judge Carol Bagley Amon at a Brooklyn hearing Monday repeatedly pressed a lawyer for the racing association to explain why the suspension was issued before Baffert was given a chance to defend himself. Attorney Henry Greenberg said Baffert will get a hearing after the association announces the length of his suspension by Aug. 11. The judge seemed dissatisfied with that, asking if that's "a little too late?"
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