Chicago Cubs: A history of notable Home Run Derby performances

Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo do damage

The 2015 season will always be remembered as the year it began, in Wrigleyville. Highly touted draft prospect Kris Bryant was a rookie, and team captain Anthony Rizzo was a few years into his Cubs tenure. Each guy earned all-star nods as reserves, and each took part in the Home Run Derby.

Bryant and Rizzo each posted double-digit home run totals in the first half of 2015. Bryant came out of the gate riding the struggle bus, but, turned it around and entered the break with 12 big flies. Rizzo, meanwhile, posted a solid first half with a .298 average and 16 home runs.

In what debuted as the newest format for the yearly competition, Rizzo was the first to experience a running clock’s change. He finished with eight in the first round, losing narrowly to Josh Donaldson, who hit nine. Bryant squared off against Albert Pujols, which drew the crowd to a pause. Tied 9-9 as time ran down, Pujols stepped into the box and delivered the first “buzzer-beating” home run in MLB history to take down Bryant.

Although the final results did not bounce Bryant and Rizzo’s way, it was still notable as it was the beginning of a special time for the Cubs and a glimpse into the future with ‘KB’ and the thrills he was about to bring to the city of Chicago.