Sounds Good: Fielder Bests Cruz In HR Derby
Date Posted: 7/13/2009

ST. LOUIS -- In a battle between teammates who were instrumental in the Nashville Sounds' 2005 PCL championship run, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder outlasted Texas Rangers outfielder Nelson Cruz in the finals of the 2009 MLB Home Run Derby on Monday evening at Busch Stadium.

Being pitched to by current Sounds hitting coach Sandy Guerrero, Fielder belted six home runs in the final round to defeat Cruz, who batted first and knocked five out of the yard.

After the sluggers each blasted 11 home runs in the first round to tie for the lead, Fielder hit six in the second round to grab the overall lead at 17 longballs while Cruz was just one back at 16 entering the finals.

Fielder led the Sounds with 28 home runs during Nashville's 2005 title-winning season (his lone year playing in Music City), while Cruz added 11 that year plus a game-winning shot in the 13th inning in Tacoma that September to bring home the league championship trophy.

Cruz followed up his successful 2005 campaign by belting a team-best 20 roundtrippers during an All-Star campaign for Nashville in 2006 before he was traded to the Rangers organization that July.

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