Just as they have the past three years, the American League All-Stars got the best of the National League All-Stars, this time defeating them 4-2. Eric Hosmer was awarded with the MVP as he went 2-3 with a two run home run.
With the victory, the winner of the American League will have home field advantage in the 2016 World Series. In the past three years, the American League was victorious in two of those World Series with the 2013 Boston Red Sox and the 2015 Kansas City Royals both taking home the hardware.
Corey Kluber took home the victory for the American League out of relief, while Johnny Cueto was given the loss after starting the game. Chris Sale, Kluber, Cole Hamels, Aaron Sanchez, Jose Quintana, Kelvin Herrera, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, Will Harris, and Zach Britton each had the chance to pitch for the American League. For the National League, Cueto, Jose Fernandez, Drew Pomeranz, Julio Teheran, Max Scherzer, Jon Lester, Mark Melancon, Fernando Rodney, and Kenley Jansen were all used.
National League gets out to hot start
Fans are still able to vote for the All-Star Game starters, and the fans chose an entire Chicago Cubs infield to start for the National League squad. The Cubs are undoubtedly championship contenders, and they surely would have enjoyed occupying home field advantage in the World Series, should they get there.
Though Ben Zobrist and Bryce Harper were sent down quickly, Kris Bryant came up third, and delivered in a big way. He sent a home run over the left field wall, giving the National League a quick 1-0 lead. Bryant has 25 homers this season for the Cubs, leading the National League. Before the at bat, Bryant was just 0-6 against Sale in his career, but got the best of him at the "Mid-Summer Classic".
Cueto got through the first inning just giving up a hit to Mike Trout. He sent down David Ortiz, who got a much deserved standing ovation in the third inning following his exit. It is "Big Papi's" last season, and it has included ten All Star Game appearances.
Royals offense helps American League
The Kansas City Royals are also a championship contender, and they may have helped themselves out with a big performance from their players today. After Xander Bogaerts grounded out to begin the inning, Hosmer stepped in against his former teammate Cueto, and took a 1-1 pitch the opposite way for a home run.
Mookie Betts would follow with a single, setting up a plate appearance for Salvador Perez, Hosmer's teammate. Perez would also homer, shooting a blast in the left field bleachers. Perez caught Cueto last season, and certainly knew what to expect.
The two obviously were not phased by the big stage, as they lifted the American League to a 3-1 lead over the National League.
In the third, Hosmer and the American League stretched their lead even further. Bogaerts doubled with one away, and Hosmer singled home Edwin Encarnacion, who pinch-ran for Ortiz. The sharp single would put the AL up 4-1.
American League pitchers prevail
Sanchez got the task to face the National League hitters in the fourth, and would run into trouble. After retiring the hometown player Wil Myers, he walked Buster Posey, and yielded a single to Anthony Rizzo, advancing Posey to third. Marcel Ozuna followed, and singled home Posey to make it a 4-2 deficit.
From that inning on, the American League pitching was dominant, leading to the victory. In the eighth, however, there was a huge scare. Andrew Miller replaced his teammate Betances, and would load the bases after giving up singles to Jonathon Lucroy and Starling Marte, while also walking Adam Duvall. With Aledmys Diaz coming up, Ned Yost elected to turn to the right-hander from the bullpen in Will Harris. Harris came out ready, and struck out Diaz to leave the bases loaded.
Britton got his turn in the ninth, and would face just three batters to earn the save for the American League. He gave up a leadoff single to NL batting average leader Daniel Murphy, but got Nolan Arenado to ground into a double play with two away to end the game.