Dodgers' Joc Pederson, HR derby runner-up: 'Pretty surreal'

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National League All-Star Todd Frazier reacts after winning the home run derby. He beat Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson, 15-14, in the final round.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

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2015 Home Run Derby champion Todd Frazier smiles as he poses with the trophy.

(Tannen Maury / EPA)

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Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson bats during the home run derby at Great American Ball Park.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray plays with his son, Gunnar, while watching the home run derby.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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Reds third baseman Todd Frazier celebrates winning the home run derby in front of the hometown Cincinnati crowd.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Dodgers All-Star outfielder Joc Pederson swings during the home run derby. He finished second to Todd Frazier.

(John Minchillo / Associated Press)

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Reds All-Star Todd Frazier celebrates winning the 2015 Home Run Derby by hoisting a championship belt.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson eyes a pitch during the home run derby. Pederson eliminated Albert Pujols during the second round.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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Nationals All-Star outfielder Bryce Harper laughs as he watches the Home Run Derby.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Dodgers All-Star rookie Joc Pederson reacts after popping a pitch up during the home run derby. He finished second behind Todd Frazier.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Angels All-Star slugger Albert Pujols congratulates Dodgers rookie All-Star Joc Pederson during the home run derby. Pederson eliminated Pujols in the second round.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Blue Jays All-Star Josh Donaldson (right) congratulates Reds third baseman Scott Frazier during the home run derby after Frazier eliminated him in the second round.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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Reds third baseman Todd Frazier reacts after hitting a homer during the home run derby at Great American Ball Park.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Dodgers All-Star Joc Pederson hits during the home run derby. He finished second to Todd Frazier.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

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Reds third baseman Todd Frazier connects during the home run derby. Frazier beat Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson for the title.

(John Minchillo / Associated Press)

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Angels slugger Albert Pujols, left. and Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson share a laugh with eventual home run derby champion Todd Frazier.

(Mark Lyons / EPA)

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A general view of Great American Ball Park during the home run derby.

(Joe Robbins / Getty Images)

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American League All-Star Albert Pujols connects with a pitch during the home run derby. Pujols eliminated Kris Bryant during the first round.

(Joe Robbins / Getty Images)

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Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols looks on during the home run derby.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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American League All-Star Albert Pujols celebrates with Astros second baseman Jose Altuve during the home run derby after beating Kris Bryant, 10-9, in the first round.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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Athletics All-Star Sonny Gray watches the home run derby with his son, Gunnar.

(John Minchillo / Associated Press)

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Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant bats during the home run derby. Bryant hit nine homers, but was eliminated by Albert Pujols in the first round.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson hits a home run during the first round of the home run derby.

(Joe Robbins / Getty Images)

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Angels All-Star Albert Pujols bats during the first round of the home run derby. Pujols eliminated Kris Bryant in the round.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Dodgers All-Star Joc Pederson connects with a pitch during the first round of the home run derby. Pederson eliminated Manny Machado during the round.

(Elsa / Getty Images)

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Orioles outfielder Adam Jones (right) brings teammate Manny Machado salsa during the home run derby. Machado was eliminated in the first round by Joc Pederson.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson greets Orioles third baseman Manny Machado during introductions before the home run derby. Pederson eliminated Machado in the first round.

(Tannen Maury / EPA)

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Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson bats during the home run derby.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Cincinnati All-Star Todd Frazier (right) celebrates with his brother, Jeff, during the first round of the home run derby. Frazier eliminated Prince Fielder with 14 first round homers.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder watches the flight of a home run during the home run derby. Fielder was eliminated by Todd Frazier in the first round.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Toronto Blue Jays All-Star Josh Donaldson hugs Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo during the home run derby. Donaldson eliminated Rizzo in the first round.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo reacts to a fly ball during the home run derby. He was eliminated in the first round by Josh Donaldson.

(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)

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Angels slugger Albert Pujols as he is introduced before the 2015 MLB Home Run Derby.

(Tannen Maury / EPA)

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Ken Griffey Jr. (rigth) hugs his father Ken Griffey Sr. after throwing out the first pitch prior to the home run derby.

(Rob Carr / Getty Images)

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Calea Yauss, of Cincinnati, runs past statues of former Cincinnati Reds players Ernie Lombardi, center, and Frank Robinson, right outside Great American Ball Park.

(John Minchillo / Associated Press)

By Bill Shaikin

Staff Writer

July 13, 2015 9:04 PM PT

Reporting from Cincinnati —

In the championship round of the home run derby, even as those precious seconds ticked off the clock, Joc Pederson took a couple moments to catch his breath and take in the scene.

This was the only game in town, and in all of Major League Baseball. The eyes of his fellow All-Stars, and of all the baseball world, were upon him.

“That’s what everyone says: slow down and enjoy it,” Pederson said. “It’s pretty surreal.”

Pederson very nearly became the first Dodgers player to win the derby. In the year after Yasiel Puig hit zero home runs, Pederson hit 39.

He lost to the Cincinnati Reds’ Todd Frazier, the hometown hero. Frazier beat Pederson on a bonus-time walk-off, with 15 home runs to Pederson’s 14.

The Angels’ Albert Pujols, whom Pederson eliminated in the semifinals, said the right man won the derby.

“It couldn’t happen to a better person,” Pujols said of Frazier. “To do it with the city on his back, that’s a lot of pressure.”

Pujols also praised Pederson, for not only performing so well as a rookie but for thriving amid the pressure of facing Frazier.

“The city of L.A. should be proud of him,” Pujols said of Pederson. “I’m so proud of him. I just became more of a fan of him.”

The evening’s warmest moment came after Pederson had eliminated Pujols. As the two men exchanged greetings, Pederson’s older brother jumped into Pujols’ arms, and Pujols grinned for all of Ohio to see.

Champ Pederson has Down syndrome. So does Pujols’ daughter. Pujols met Champ Pederson this spring, and sent him an autographed jersey.

“That just shows what type of man he is,” Joc Pederson said. “He’s an unbelievable human.

“It’s not necessarily about winning. He’s got a warm heart. I tip my cap to him.”

bill.shaikin@latimes.com

Twitter: @BillShaikin