As the sun kissed the skyline here in downtown San Diego, the Royals took charge, leading the American League to a 4-2 victory in the 87th edition of the Midsummer Classic. From that point forward, it was a defensive showdown that swung in the American League’s favor.
Advertisement
Cueto, 13-1 this season with a 2.47 ERA, gave up more runs in 1 2/3 innings than he averages per game. He homered and drove in two runs to help the American League defeat the National League 4-2 at Petco Park.
Cueto’s night was done after 1.2 IP.
The Junior Circuit made them pay in the home half of the 3rd against Fernandez, who was back out there.
His Boston teammate Xander Bogaerts doubled in the next at-bat to put runners on second and third with one out. The AL won its fourth consecutive win and the 16th in the past 20 years.
The NL scored a run in the 4th on a single by Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna.
Yet just as he’s done so often for the White Sox, Quintana still navigated the inning successfully.
Two former Royals teammates scorched Cueto. In the home half, Nationals ace Max Scherzer absolutely mowed down the AL hitters in order.
This was Hamels’ fourth All-Star Game. He grounded out and walked in two plate appearances.
He will retire at the end of the season having played in 10 All-Star Games. He battled with Yankees closer Andrew Miller, taking a tantializing slider to work the count 3-2. But Astros reliever Will Harris caught St. Louis Cardinals rookie Aldemys Diaz looking to end the threat.
NL pitcher Jose Fernandez hinted on Monday that he might give Ortiz a cookie if they faced each other in the game, and the two exchanged grins as Ortiz walked to the plate. Daniel Murphy reached base for the third time in the game with a leadoff single.
Perez and Hosmer became the eighth set of teammates to homer in an All-Star Game, including Stan Musial and Ken Boyer in 1960 and the first pair to do it, Frankie Frisch and Joe Medwick in 1934.
Hosmer took home Most Valuable Player honors after recording two hits and two RBIs, becoming the first Royals player to win the award since Bo Jackson in 1989. “I told David before the game, I said, look this is my plan”. Baltimore’s Zach Britton notches the save.
American League manager Ned Yost didn’t need to convince the AL team how important an All-Star Game victory is to the winning league. However, they will still alternate which league is the home team.
According to the Angels, Trout is the first AL player to get a hit in each of his first five All-Star games, joining NL stars Joe Morgan, Willie Mays, Steve Garvey, Carlos Beltran and David Wright. Of the 79, 33 were first-time All-Stars. He went 0-for-1 in two at-bats, grounding a ball off Corey Kluber in the second inning that Jose Altuve ran forward to pick and throw out Posey. There were also 27 players in total that were age 26 or younger.
The National League club was laden with seven Chicago Cubs, six of whom were active, and a couple did their part.
Advertisement
Cueto’s poor outing could potentially have ramifications for the Giants in the postseason as the AL pennant victor will have home-field advantage in the World Series by virtue of winning Tuesday night. If the Royals rally for a playoff berth and get a chance to defend the Commissioner’s Trophy, they’ll have their impassioned fanbase behind them at Kauffman Stadium.
