Prince Fielder Wins Home Run Derby

ST. LOUIS -- Prince Fielder had plenty of good memories of the Home Run Derby.

Just not the one that he actually participated in.

Fielder had watched his father, Cecil, slug monster homers in the Derby in 1990, '91 and '93, including a memorable one off the glass at Toronto's SkyDome in 1991. When the younger Fielder grew up and got his first shot at the Derby, in 2007, he hit only three homers.

Now, he's got his own story. He hit a total of 23 homers, out-homering Nelson Cruz, 6-5, in the finals, to win the Home Run Derby championship on Monday night at Busch Stadium, with local favorite Albert Pujols failing to even reach the finals.

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"It's pretty cool to actually win one," Fielder said. "I never thought I'd win one. I just hoped that I'd be in one. It's kind of a dream come true."

Fielder said the difference between his performance Monday and his three-homer first-round bust in 2007 -- aside from a ballpark more friendly for left-handed hitters -- was he was more relaxed.

"I just knew what to expect this time and relaxed, and it worked out all right," Fielder said.

Fielder and Cruz, who showed the power Josh Hamilton talked about earlier in the day, each hit 11 homers, leading the field, in the first round. In the second round, Cruz hit five and Fielder hit six, including a 503-foot shot that was the longest homer of the night.

"I've never hit a ball 500 feet before," he said. "It was pretty cool."

In the finals, with both players starting back at zero, Cruz led off with five homers. Fielder needed only seven of his 10 outs to hit six, becoming the first Brewers player to win a Home Run Derby.

That left most of the crowd of 45,981 disappointed. They had come to see Pujols.

Pujols, the hometown favorite, started off slowly and barely made it into the second round, edging Joe Mauer and Carlos Pena in a five-swing bat-off to advance. Pujols finished the night with 11 homers, not enough to get into the finals.

"I wish I would have put on a better show for the fans, but I always appreciate the opportunity to play in an All-Star Game," Pujols said.

Pujols actually got a break when a fan reached over the fence to snag one of his fly balls. The catch gave him five homers in the first round, just enough to force the tiebreaker with Pena and Mauer. In a regular season game, with instant replay, the home run likely would have been overruled.

Pujols and Ryan Howard, who is from the St. Louis area, were both eliminated in the second round. Howard finished with 15.

Adrian Gonzalez (two) and Brandon Inge (zero) brought up the rear. Inge was the first player to get shut out in a Home Run Derby since Jason Bay in 2005.

Home Run Derby Photos

National League's Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals hits during first round of the MLB baseball Home Run Derby in St. Louis, Monday, July 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Seven-year-old Olivia Joslin looks through gates at Busch Stadium following the MLB baseball Home Run Derby in St. Louis, Tuesday, July 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Milwaukee Brewers' Prince Fielder of the National League holds his trophy after winning Major League Baseball's annual Home Run Derby during All-Star game festivities in St. Louis July 13, 2009. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Reuters

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 13: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals gets a microphone attached to his jersey before the 2009 State Farm Home Run Derby on July 13, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Angeles/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

MLB Photos via Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 13: Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers bats during the final round of the 2009 State Farm Home Run Derby on July 13, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Prince Fielder

MLB Photos via Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 13: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals stands on the field during the 2009 State Farm Home Run Derby on July 13, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

MLB Photos via Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 13: Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the first round of the 2009 State Farm Home Run Derby on July 13, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Albert Pujols

MLB Photos via Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 13: David Wright of the New York Mets sits on the field during the 2009 State Farm Home Run Derby on July 13, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** David Wright

MLB Photos via Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 13: Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees pose on the field during the 2009 Gatorade All-Star Workout Day on July 13, 2009 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Teixeira;Derek Jeter

MLB Photos via Getty Images

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-14-2009 @ 5:24AM

newmoonrpjj said...

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7-14-2009 @ 8:27AM

edward said...

Who cares these guys are all jokes. Where are the real homerun hitters at?? Oh yeah they are the fans of the homerun derby sitting on the side watching not wanting to mess up there swing or get hurt. I tell ya what a copout. If you really want to be a real sports icon take part of everything there is in baseball and be a real "player" no one wanted to watch Brandon Inge, Nelson Cruz, Carlos Pena etc etc. they were all a joke.

7-14-2009 @ 8:37AM

danceez said...

I for one and very pleased with the The Prince winning.

7-14-2009 @ 9:24AM

nickcherryl said...

Can't wait to hear Joe Morgan say how great the bros are at hitting homeruns, the best ever, would be nice if this ass hole would retire from behind the mike, he has the same old line for years, like a talking dummy.

7-14-2009 @ 5:06PM

Kelly said...

Way to go Prince!! Brewer fan here 100%, and I was pulling for you...again. WTG!!!!

7-14-2009 @ 8:44PM

jtf said...

that's great. nice to see coops son win the HR derby. two great first basemen. and especially nice that it happened at busche stadium. the season is only half over and i don't want to end in st. louis. '82 brewers fan