Todd Frazier Claims Home Run Derby, Starting PItchers Named For All-Star Game

Todd Frazier had the joint jumping, his home crowd behind him screaming and exactly the right flair for the dramatic on Monday night. Not only did Frazier not disappoint, the Reds third baseman put on a tremendous show to win the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at Great American Ball Park.

The capper was a bonus-round shot into the left-field seats to defeat Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson, 15 homers to 14, in the finals as the stadium roared with approval and fireworks filled the sky. Frazier loved having the sold-out crowd in his corner all night.

"Just hearing the crowd roar, call my name, adrenaline," Frazier said. "And those last minutes of each round really picked me up and [helped me] drive the ball out of the park a lot more. It was a lot of fun. I appreciate that a lot."

Frazier, who was the Derby runner-up to Yoenis Cespedes last year in Minneapolis, became the first Reds player to win the Home Run Derby in its 30-year history. He is also only the second player from the host team to win, the first since the Cubs' Ryne Sandberg in 1990. Frazier was presented with the Home Run Derby trophy by MLB executive Joe Torre.

"Bringing this hardware home is something I've always wanted to do and it's just an unbelievable feeling," Frazier said. "Once I wake up in the morning, understand really what happened, it is going to be exciting to see this in my house."

The Derby caught its first break when rain held off until well after the event ended. Then new rules in place for 2015 added timed rounds of four minutes and an eight-player single-elimination bracket that proved instantly popular. That change played into Frazier's hands as he batted second in each round as the higher seed.

Frazier, the No. 2 seed, defeated Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder in the first round and then knocked out Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson in Round 2.

All three rounds required a lot from Frazier to overcome his challenger. Fielder hit 13 homers in the opening round. Frazier was able to equal the two-time winner with his 13th coming with seconds remaining, landing in the left-field seats. After a brief break before bonus time, Frazier crushed home run No. 14 on his first swing to defeat Fielder.

Starting Pitchers Named

Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros have been named the All-Star Game starting pitchers for the National League and American League, respectively.
reinke is 8-2 with a major league-best 1.39 ERA for the first-place Dodgers and has not allowed an earned run in his last five starts, a span of 35 2/3 innings. He has allowed more than three runs in a start just once this season and has gone no fewer than six full innings in each of his 18 starts.

Greinke, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner while a member of the Kansas City Royals, joined the Dodgers prior to the 2013 season and is appearing in his third All-Star Game.

Keuchel is making his first All-Star appearance representing the surprising Astros, who are a half-game behind the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels.

AL manager Ned Yost said he considered Tampa Bay's Chris Archer, Seattle's Felix Hernandez, Detroit's David Price and Chicago's Chris Sale as possible starters before deciding on Keuchel. Oakland's Sonny Gray, another potential starting candidate, is unavailable after pitching Sunday.

Keuchel has a 2.23 ERA and his 11 wins tie him with Hernandez for the most in the AL. His 137 1/3 innings pitched (over 19 starts) are the most in the majors this season.

Tuesday, July 14 Schedule (Time Central)

All-Star Game

American League vs. National League, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 15

No games scheduled

Thursday, July 16

No games scheduled