When he left the game for a pinch-runner, he got a group hug on the field from his AL teammates.
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Ortiz, as usual, was in the spotlight Tuesday in San Diego, getting a standing ovation after exiting Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game for the final time. The popular Big Papi plans to retire at 40 after this season with Boston. Ned Yost countered with Astros closer Will Harris. The Royals won in five games for their first title since 1985. “Playing in the wild-card game past year, we wished it was at Wrigley Field because the atmosphere was just intense as the visiting team”. We’ll see how that goes. “It just brings that sense of comfort to the team and gives you a jumpstart for the whole Series”. “If we don’t win that game, it puts us in a bad, bad spot for that series”. They also happen to represent 33.3 percent of the American League’s starting lineup in July 12’s All-Star Game. In that span, the AL has outscored the NL at 18-8 and out-homered the Nationals at 5-2.
While Bradley, 26, and Bogaerts and Betts (both 23) soaked up the atmosphere of their first All-Star appearances, Ortiz was the center of attention in this, his 10th and final mid-summer classic.
“I would love to face David”, Fernandez told ESPN’s Marly Rivera on Monday.
“A guy like me, as much I want (to sometimes be out of the spotlight), you can have your private life, ” he said, “but it’s not like you can stay behind the scenes forever, especially the way things are going”.
Fernandez admitted “I couldn’t believe that I was actually pitching to him”. “When it comes to your first one you look around and get in touch with those players on the other side”.
“Guys, on my behalf, I really want to say thank you to all of you”.
They couldn’t play an All-Star Game in San Diego without a nice tribute to Tony Gwynn. “But David also works very hard at studying pitchers and swinging at the pitches he wants to swing at”.
Gwynn, known as Mr. Padre, died of salivary gland cancer June 16, 2014, at age 54.
In the middle portion of the anthem, which is often sung in French, the Tenors changed one line to: “We’re all brothers and sisters”. The first heater was a ball, the next two were fouled off. For sake of comparison, when a fading Kobe Bryant appeared in his final NBA All-Star Game in February, he hoisted 11 shots and played more minutes than any Western Conference player not named Stephen Curry.
The victor of Tuesday’s game holds home-field advantage in the World Series.
The Cubs weren’t just there to take part. I think he’s going to be a household name. To do it, day in and day out, it’s a lot of games.
The two faced-off in the third inning, but rather than serve up a homer, Fernandez walked his idol on a full-count.
Mike Trout keeps on knocking down milestones at All-Star games.
“This morning I got up and didn’t feel well”.
The NL got a run back in the fourth on an RBI single by Miami’s Marcell Ozuna.
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The Ted Williams MVP Award was given to Hosmer.
