Chicago ? Another big event, another win for the Anaheim Angels.

Garret Anderson was a surprise winner at the All-Star Home Run Derby, just as he was at the World Series, edging the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols, 9-8, Monday night to win the title for the first time.

“I don’t look at myself as a home-run hitter, but I know I’m capable of hitting some balls out of the park, and it’s just another platform to go out and show America what I can do,” Anderson said.

Some of the drama was lacking this year.

Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa weren’t among the eight players in the competition, which has become a highlight of the All-Star break.

And U.S. Cellular Field, which used to be known as Comiskey Park, is among the most boring ballparks in baseball, with no natural targets such as the warehouse at Baltimore’s Camden Yards or the Green Monster at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Still, the crowd of 47,819 rose to its feet as Pujols, batting last, came up with one strike left. He stepped out and lined a pitch from Cubs bullpen catcher Benny Cadahia off the left-field warning track.

Pujols, the 2001 NL Rookie of the Year, started slowly. He hit just four homers in the first round, which tied him for third with Jim Edmonds and Gary Sheffield, and trailing defending champion Jason Giambi (12) and Anderson (seven). Pujols advanced to the final four over Sheffield because he has more regular-season homers, 27-22.

“That’s a lot of swings. I was getting stiff between the rounds,” said Pujols, who leads the majors with a .368 average.

Anaheim's Garret Anderson admires one of his seven home runs in the first round off the Home Run Derby. Anderson advanced to the final round, where he beat St. Louis' Albert Pujols for the title Monday at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

In the semis, Anderson beat Edmonds 6-4 and Pujols defeated Giambi 14-11, hitting the longest shot of the night — a 478-foot drive.

Pujols’ total tied for the most in a derby round, a mark set by Giambi two years ago at Seattle, and his 26 on the night tied the record Sosa set in 2000.

Giambi, down to his last two outs in the semis, hit seven more homers to make it close as fans pulled for him to slug his way into the final.

Anderson, hitting .316 with 22 homers and 78 RBIs this season, is making just his second All-Star appearance this year. His career home-run high is 35, set in 2000.

“That swing that I was using tonight is not a swing that I try to use during the season,” he said. “It was just strictly for trying to hit balls over the fence.”

Sheffield, Carlos Delgado (two), Richie Sexson (one) and Bret Boone (none) also were eliminated in the first round, with Boone becoming the first player not to hit any since Anaheim’s Troy Glaus two years ago.