The team with home field has won the World Series six of the last seven times and 24 of the past 30.
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Second-inning homers by Kansas City teammates Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez powered the American League to a 4-2 victory over the National League on Tuesday night in the 87th All-Star Game before 42,386 at Petco Park. Now the American League can claim homefield advantage in the 2016 World Series.
The AL will be the home team for the game at Petco Park because this is the second straight year of at least four in which the NL will host the All-Stars.
Not surprisingly, Hosmer took home the MVP honors, breaking Trout’s streak at two. Both home runs came off NL starter and losing pitcher Johnny Cueto. He entered in center field in the fifth inning and flied out to center field in his only at-bat.
American League manager Ned Yost of the Kansas City Royals before the MLB All-Star Game at Petco Park.
Houston Astros closer Will Harris was one of those first-timers. He made a huge contribution to the AL win when he was summoned into a bases-loaded situation with two outs in the top of the eighth inning and his team clinging to a two-run lead. The NL left ten runners on base.
Zach Britton, the majors’ saves leader with 27, closed it out for the AL.
The grounds crew prepares the field after batting practice prior to the MLB baseball All-Star Game in San Diego.
The All-Star Game returned to San Diego for the first time since 1992 at Jack Murphy Stadium. He said he plans to “let it eat” for an inning, and do so in part as a tribute to late Padres Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn.
The National League, which got the early lead on a homer by Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant off White Sox pitcher Chris Sale, would only get one more run for the remainder of the game on RBI in the fourth inning by Marcell Ozuna of the Marlins. Bryant was sitting fastball and got one.
“To see what he’s doing this year, at that age, just goes to show how mentally strong and physically strong he is”, said Harper, who has 20 home runs and 34 doubles for the Nationals this season. He pitched a scoreless third inning for the AL club. Hamels did so with eight stitches in his chin, the result of tumble he took in his hotel room at 5 a.m.
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Surprisingly, it was just the second All-Star Game appearance of Cueto’s nine-year career despite his 109-71 record and 3.22 ERA. Encarnacion was running for David Ortiz, the Red Sox DH playing in his final All-Star game, who was hit by a pitch. The AL roster came onto the field when Ortiz left the game for a pinch-runner, embracing and congratulating him.
