WASHINGTON • Outfielder Bryce Harper has spent all season on the clock at Nationals Park — his every swing bringing him that much closer to free agency and riches galore — so it wasn’t all that unusual to see time ticking away from him Monday night.
With 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining in the championship round of the annual Home Run Derby, Harper needed nine home runs to tie Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber. Harper hit nine on his final 10 swings to tie, and in bonus time earned by the length of a homer he drilled a 19th home run to take the derby trophy at his home ballpark.