The 87th MLB All-Star Game took place Tuesday night in San Diego, CA at Petco Park and the Boston Red Sox placed proper representation into the American League starting Lineup.
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With his 10th and final All-Star Game in the books, the three-time World Series champion is now looking ahead and believes there is one dynamic weapon the Red Sox need to complete their stretch run: Marlins ace Jose Fernandez.
On Tuesday night, Ortiz will appear in Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game for the tenth time in his career.
The popular Big Papi was embraced by almost every member of the American League roster Tuesday night when he was replaced by a pinch runner and strolled back to the dugout.
The lone Tigers All-Star, Miguel Cabrera, entered the game in the top of the seventh inning, replacing Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer.
This isn’t a Derek Jeter situation-you might recall that two years ago, Jeter started in the All-Star Game despite having one of the worst seasons of any position player heading into the game. Luckily for grieving baseball fans everywhere, the AL squad gave Ortiz a chance to say goodbye his way: with an emotional pregame clubhouse speech.
Ortiz, who announced in November he is retiring after this season, shrugged off all the attention he was getting, saying the media love him because of his cooperation. Indeed, from the final out on Sunday until the first pitch when games resume on Friday, the most rest some of these guys will get will be tonight, sitting on the bench during the actual nine innings of the All-Star Game itself. Then it was over to the ballpark for the Home Run Derby, the public part of which lasted from around 5pm to 8pm local time.
Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera pitched a hitless sixth for the AL, which will open the Series at home for the 11th time in 14 years since the All-Star victor has been used to determine the hosts for Games 1 and 2.
The two faced-off in the third inning, but rather than serve up a homer, Fernandez walked his idol on a full-count.
Ozuna went 1 for 2 and hit a single that drove in a run in the fourth inning in his first All-Star Game appearance.
“I think that Oakland is more likely than not to be a better market five years from now than it is today”, Manfred said. I like that he told me that was going to be my role, and he honored that. “I looked at him and I was like, ‘what happened?” The pitch left Ortiz laughing as he pointed out to Fernandez and yelled “Are you trying to break my back?”
Fernandez called it “an fantastic experience”. At first I was just throwing fastball, fastball, fastball, so I thought I should mix it up with a breaking pitch and he took it. I guess we’ll see if they actually stick to that. We’ll see how that goes. He signed the jersey that I brought for him.
When Edwin Encarnacion came out to pinch run for him, Ortiz waved to the crowd and then spent his AL teammates came out of the dugout to exchange hugs as the crowd of 42,386 rose in tribute. However, in June he said he wished he hadn’t told everyone in advance.
But most of what made Ortiz facing Fernandez special had nothing to do with the at-bat. “I mean, I was totally cool with that”.
Big Papi addressed his teammates earlier in the day. You have to put up the numbers. I saw. his whole history behind where he comes from, his family and everything, I was watching that at my house and I was crying like a little baby, man.
Mets Manager Terry Collins used no Mets: The defending National League champions sent three players to the game – pitchers Noah Syndergaard, Bartolo Colon and Jeurys Familia. The National League team wore its road grays, and batted first, even though San Diego has always been an NL town.
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“It’s an unbelievable feeling to be around this guy”, said Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez, who homered for the AL.
