LA Dodgers win MLB Home Run Derby X in Seoul

The team representing the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2022 FTX MLB Home Run Derby X Seoul on Saturday, beating the Boston Red Sox by four runs in the final at Paradise City hotel in Incheon.

From left: Jeong Keun-woo, Kwak Yoon-gy, Ashton Lansdell and Adrian Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate with the trophy after winning the 2022 FTX MLB Home Run Derby X at Paradise City in Incheon on Saturday. [YONHAP]

The team representing the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2022 FTX MLB Home Run Derby X Seoul on Saturday, beating the Boston Red Sox by four runs in the final at Paradise City hotel in Incheon.

The Dodgers were represented by Dodgers’ legend Adrián González, softball slugger Ashton Lansdell, Korean short track speed skating Olympian Kwan Yoon-gy and KBO legend Jeong Keun-woo.

Putting on a show in front of a packed crowd on a sunny day in Incheon, González and Jeong each picked up 20 points to lead the Dodgers to the win, with González also taking the MVP prize.

From left: Jeong Keun-woo, Kwak Yoon-gy and Ashton Lansdell of the Los Angeles Dodgers cover teammate Adrian Gonzalez with champagne after he was named MVP at the 2022 FTX MLB Home Run Derby X at Paradise City in Incheon on Saturday. [YONHAP]

Boston was represented by former Red Sox star Jonny Gomez, softball star Jocelyn Alo, world champion football freestyler Liv Cooke and KBO legend Park Yong-taik.

Batting last, Park, the KBO’s all-time hits leader, had to overcome a 24-point deficit to tie the score, with 25 points needed to win. The former LG Twins superstar managed to pick up 20 points, single-handedly narrowing the gap to four points but failing to edge out a win for the Red Sox.

"It was never going to be easy," Park said. "I calculated it in my head and the chances were slim so I focused on hitting the target rather than getting a run."

Hitting the target in the home run zone earned the batter double points, a trick Park utilized multiple times during his final at-bat.

From left: KBO legends Lee Seung-yuop, Kim Tae-kyun, Park Yong-taik and Jeong Keun-woo. [NEWS1]

The Red Sox reached the final after beating the New York Yankees in their preliminary round. The Yankees were represented by former Yankees slugger Nick Swisher, Italian softball star and Olympian Erika Piancastelli, Mexican gymnast Daniel Corral and Hanwha Eagles legend Kim Tae-kyun, one of the most productive batters in KBO history.

The Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs in their preliminary round, toppling 2008 Rookie of the Year Geo Soto, U.S. softball star Alex Hugo, Esports-star-turned-footballer Spencer Owen and the Lion King himself Lee Seung-yuop.

Samsung Lions legend Lee was the youngest professional player anywhere in the world to pass 300 career home runs, achieving the feat at just 26, and went on to be named KBO MVP five times. Lee still holds the KBO records for home runs, runs scored, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage and OPS.

Described as a mix of a home run derby and a full festival of fun and food, the MLB Home Run Derby X is a new event launched by Major League Baseball this year as an attempt to take baseball outside of the baseball stadium and create a baseball-themed spectacle with a party atmosphere.

Fundamentally, the event is themed around a home run derby like the one traditionally played alongside the MLB All-Star Game. But rather than getting the best sluggers in the league to compete to see who can hit the most home runs in a certain period of time in whichever stadium is hosting the All-Star Game that year, MLB has developed a completely new format for Home Run Derby X.

The Home Run Derby X arena is narrower than a regular baseball field and, as well as the traditional outfield fence, includes four targets that batters can earn points by hitting. There is also a catching zone, where opposing players are allowed to attempt to pluck the ball out of the air — again a major difference from the traditional home run derby.

Crowds start to gather ahead of the 2022 FTX MLB Home Run Derby X at Paradise City in Incheon on Saturday. [NEWS1]

The attempt to take baseball to the masses appeared to be a success in Incheon on Saturday, with big crowds turning out at Paradise City on Sunday with baseball mitts in one hand and beer and hot dogs in the other.

Live music was provided by Heize, Crush and Psy, with a lineup of DJs also taking to the stage throughout the afternoon. During the music performances, organizers removed the barriers to the home run field, allowing fans to get right in front of the stage.

Alongside the stage, a food truck zone and New Era store provided plenty of retail opportunities, with batting and pitching cages also set up so visitors could try their hands at a bit of baseball. The weather also helped, with hundreds of fans sunbathing on the grass at the back of the venue.

The FTX MLB Home Run Derby X began in London in June, with the Seoul event the second on three-competition tour. The final event will be held in Mexico on Oct. 15, with Kwak continuing to represent the Dodgers and fly the flag for Korea.

"I only held a bat for the first time four or five months ago," said Kwak, who failed to pick up a point at-bat during the final.

"I practiced for two to three hours at least twice a week for this event, but I want to practice more before Mexico. I want to focus on batting better rather than defense if because that's the main point of the event."

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]