Ambushed by his former Kansas City teammates, Cueto was rocked in his brief appearance as the American League defeated the National League 4-2 on Tuesday at Petco Park.
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Although the game was played in a National League park, the American League batted as the home team because last year’s All-Star Game was also played in a National League park, Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark.
Since 2002, when the All-Star Game began counting for home field advantage in the World Series, the AL is now 11-3. “But we play for a common cause and that’s home-field advantage for the American League and guys buy into it”.
No Royal had homered in an All-Star Game since Bo Jackson in 1989 when Jackson was the MVP.
Although the NL tacked on a run in the fourth, thanks to a run-scoring single by Miami Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna that plated San Francisco’s Buster Posey, the AL bullpen held its foe in check over the rest of the night.
“We’ve been here before, ” Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said. With the game on the line, Harris struck out St. Louis’ Aledmys Diaz looking at a full-count fastball to end the threat and leave the bases full.
Then came the first All-Star Game for 34 players, third-most ever. They choose you to go to that school….
Bryant’s home run got the National League off to a quick start but NL starter Cueto gave up a solo home run to Hosmer and a two-run homer to Perez in the second inning and the AL never trailed again.
In the top of the eighth, the NL loaded the bases on New York Yankees left-hander Andrew Miller, who gave up a one-out single to Jonathan Lucroy of the Milwaukee Brewers, a two-out single to Starling Marte of the Pittsburgh Pirates and a walk to Adam Duvall of the Cincinnati Reds.
“I’m not trying to make excuses but sometimes you get up and you don’t feel well, ” Cueto said.
This is an exhibition, so even if WPA was tracked for it somewhere (and I have no doubt that it was), we’re not going to do a WPA-centric, standard-issue recap.
The game was paused briefly to honor David Ortiz, who is retiring at the end of the season.
In a showdown of Chicago stars, Bryant, a University of San Diego product, ripped White Sox lefthander Chris Sale’s first pitch to him in the first inning for his first All-Star hit. “I just wanted to be aggressive and see a couple of pitches, let my nerves soak in and take it from there”. “My boy [Fernandez] told me he was going to throw me nothing but fastballs, but the first pitch was a change-up”. The AL roster came onto the field when Ortiz left the game for a pinch-runner, embracing and congratulating him. “I’ve got a lot of friends and family here”. The two were joking throughout the at-bat, which ended with a playful exchange as Ortiz trotted down to first base.
Eric Hosmer was awarded MVP, homering in the second, then driving in the American League’s fourth and final run in the bottom of the third.
“It’s vitally important, ” Royals manager Ned Yost said before the game.
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The first pitch, indeed was an 80-mph batting practice pitch, but Ortiz took it for a ball. “There’s no way when you’re at the beach, having a beer, having a good time, watching the waves that you want to go back to the gym”, he said. However, I didn’t even reach double figures, which I think goes to show how disinterested Diamondbacks’ fans generally were in this.
