DUNCAN BECOMES FIRST CARDINAL TO WIN HOME RUN DERBY

WELLAND – Tyler Duncan led the 2023 regular season in home runs and retained his title as home run king by becoming the 2024 home run derby champion yesterday.

Duncan defeated Guelph’s Josh Garton 10-8 at Welland Stadium on Saturday before the league’s all-star game.

Duncan, who has four home runs in 105 at bats, hit 10 in the derby’s first round to eliminate Welland’s Robert Mullen, who has six home runs at the break. Duncan then took down Jake Sanford after the Jackfish outfielder, with one home run this season, upset Chatham-Kent’s Seth Strong, whose 13 home runs leads the IBL.

Garton, who has seven home runs this season, advanced to the derby final by beating the  London duo of Kaiden Cardoso and Starling Joseph, who eliminated Toronto’s Johnathan Solazzo – second in the league with nine home runs – in the first round.