David Ortiz wins HR Derby with 11-homer final

ANAHEIM, Calif. | Boston slugger David Ortiz won his first Home Run Derby title Monday night, hitting 11 homers in the final round to beat Florida's Hanley Ramirez at Angel Stadium.

Big Papi added another highlight to his resurgent season with a relentless series of drives into the elevated stands above the right-field wall. Ortiz hit 21 homers in the first two rounds of his fourth derby before holding off Ramirez and beating a field missing most of the majors' top power hitters.

Ortiz said the title means a lot to him and dedicated his performance to former major league pitcher Jose Lima, a fellow Dominican Republic native who passed away in May after paramedics found him in cardiac arrest at his Southern California home.

"I wanted to come here and make sure the fans enjoy what we do," Ortiz said.

Ramirez matched Ortiz's 21 homers in the first two rounds, pulling most of his shots over the left-field wall. But Ortiz became just the second slugger to reach double digits in the final round, while Ramirez managed only five.

Milwaukee's Corey Hart and Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera were eliminated in the second round, with Hart failing to connect after hitting 13 in the opening round. Ortiz hit 13 in the second round, including nine in his first 12 swings.

With Yankees bench coach Tony Pena feeding fastballs straight into his wheelhouse, Ortiz coolly outslugged his younger competitors to win in his first derby appearance since 2006. He reached the semifinals that year and in 2005.

He hadn't been back in the field since — and Ortiz's entire career was on the skids after he struggled in 2009 and again in April. Boston's beloved slugger is back on his game with 18 homers and 57 RBIs this season, earning his sixth All-Star berth.

The derby field at Angel Stadium wasn't exactly a murderers' row, featuring five first-time competitors and no returning champions.

Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez and defending champion Prince Fielder all sat out. So did major league homers leader Jose Bautista, NL co-leaders Adam Dunn and Joey Votto, and Texas' Josh Hamilton, who hit 28 homers in a single round at Yankee Stadium two years ago.