Justin Upton's April blast longest home run of season's first half

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game has come and gone. On Monday, July 11 we saw Robinson Cano, Adrian Gonzalez, and others compete in the home run derby. The longest home run in the derby belonged to Prince Fielder with his 474 foot blast. As impressive as that is it still isn't longer than the longest blast in a real game so far this season. Let's take a look back at the five longest home runs of the first half. All distances are provided by STATS, Inc.

5. Nelson Cruz: On Monday, June 6 Cruz crushed a ball 459 feet into the Detroit Tigers bullpen. The two run homer came off of Charlie Furbush in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was the second home run for Cruz on the night. The Texas Rangers right fielder is currently fifth in home runs in the American League with 21.

4. Carlos Beltran: The New York Mets were taking on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in interleague play when Beltran hit a rocket that went 460 feet. The two run homer came in the bottom of the fifth, in a stadium that doesn't usually give up huge home runs, Citi Field. Angels ace Dan Haren gave up the homer and then promptly left the game. Beltran leads the Mets in home runs with 13.

3. Jim Thome: The veteran has missed a good portion of the season so far, but at times he can still get it done in impressive fashion. Thome hit his 465 foot smash off of Jason Vargas of the Seattle Mariners. He drilled a full count pitch to right field at Targert Field. Thome, who will be 41 by season's end, needs just five more home runs for 600 in his career.

2. Nate Schierholtz: The most unlikely name on this list belted his 467 foot homer on April 18 against the Colorado Rockies. Schierholtz deposited the ball in the right field upper deck at Coors Field. The solo shot came in the first inning, off of Esmil Rogers, and gave the Giants a quick 5-0 lead. The San Francisco Giants right fielder has seven home runs so far in 2011.

1. Justin Upton: The longest tater of the year so far belongs to the Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder. Upton hit his 478 moonshot off of St. Louis Cardinals star Chris Carpenter. The three run homer came in the second inning at Chase Field and broke a 2-2 tie. The fans where the ball came to rest seemed shocked that a ball could be driven that far. Upton has 15 home runs going into the second half.

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Source:

baseball-reference.com