July 12, 2019

On Tuesday night, July 9, the American League (AL) topped the National League (NL) 4-3 in a crisply played Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The AL jumped out to a 4-1 lead and held on for its seventh consecutive win. The All-Star Game features the best MLB players in a midseason interleague exhibition. Cleveland Indians right-hander Shane Bieber, pitching before an adoring home crowd, struck out three National Leaguers in the fifth inning to earn the game’s Most Valuable Player award. Events surrounding the All-Star Game were rock music themed, as Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

The 2019 MLB All-Star Game logo honors the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, where the American League topped the National League 4-3 at Progressive Field on July 9, 2019. Credit: © Major League Baseball

Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, a first-time All-Star, started the game for the NL, and eight-time All-Star Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros took the hill for the AL. Both sides then rolled out new arms every inning, using 18 of the 31 pitchers invited to the game. Another Dodgers left-hander, Clayton Kershaw, surrendered the game’s first run in the second inning on a double by Astros outfielder Michael Brantley, scoring fellow Astro Alex Bregman. Minnesota Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco delivered an RBI (run batted in) single in the fifth for a 2-0 AL advantage, but Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon homered in the sixth to cut the lead in half.

In the seventh inning, Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman scored on a double play and Texas Rangers slugger Joey Gallo homered to extend the AL lead to 4-1. New York Mets rookie Pete Alonso brought the NL closer with a clutch two-out, two-run single in the eighth, but New York Yankees fireballer Aroldis Chapman fanned the side in the ninth to seal the 4-3 AL victory. AL pitchers set a record by striking out 16 NL hitters, the most ever in a 9-inning All-Star game.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, seen here hitting at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, played in his eighth-straight All-Star Game on July 9, 2019. Trout wore number 45 during the game to honor his late teammate, Tyler Skaggs. Credit: Keith Allison (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

The AL squad was led by Alex Cora, manager of the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox. Dave Roberts, manager of last year’s NL champion Dodgers, led the NL side for the second-straight year. A moment of silence before the game honored Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who passed away suddenly at age 27 on July 1, 2019 (there has been no official cause of death). Angels All-Stars Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella both wore Skaggs’s number 45 on their jerseys, and all players wore a black 45 patch on their uniforms.

Major League Baseball (MLB) Logo.
Credit: © Major League Baseball

Cleveland has now hosted six All-Star games (1935, 1954, 1963, 1981, 1997, and 2019), more than any other city. In the 1997 game, a 3-1 AL victory, the AL began an era of dominance over the NL, and the American Leaguers have now won 19 of the past 23 games. Overall, however, the history is nearly even. Since the first All-Star Game in 1933, the AL has won 45 times and NL squads have won 43 (along with 2 ties). The AL has outscored the NL by a scant 3 runs (373-370) in All-Star play. There was no All-Star Game in 1945 because of World War II travel restrictions, and from 1959 through 1962, there were two All-Star games each year.

In other All-Star festivities, a pair of slugging rookies took the Home Run Derby to new heights on Monday night. The Blue Jays’ 20-year-old Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., broke the single-round home run record (40) as well as the derby total record (91), but the Mets’ phenom Alonso bested Guerrero (son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero) 23-22 in the final round for the title. On Sunday evening, the best of Minor League Baseball squared off in the All-Star Futures Game. The AL and NL future stars battled to a 2-2 tie.

July 19, 2018

On Tuesday night, July 17, the American League (AL) topped the National League (NL) 8-6 in a homer-happy Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. It was the sixth consecutive win for the AL, which took the game with 10th-inning home runs by Houston Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer. The All-Star Game features the best MLB players as a midseason interleague exhibition. Bregman, a first-time All-Star in just his second full MLB season, was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

The 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. Credit: © Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer made his second-straight All-Star start for the NL—the first pitcher to do so since Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000 and 2001. Lefty fireballer Chris Sale made his third-straight start for the AL. A Boston Red Sox All-Star in 2017 and 2018, Sale started the 2016 game as a member of the Chicago White Sox. The last pitcher to repeat three years in a row as an All-Star starter—in either league—was Philadelphia Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts from 1953 through 1955. Fellow Hall of Famer Lefty Gomez, who started five of the first six All-Star games (1933-1935, 1937, and 1938), is the only other pitcher to have accomplished the feat.

Anaheim Angels outfielder Mike Trout, seen here hitting at San Francisco’s AT&T Park, hit his second career All-Star Game home run on July 17, 2018. Credit: Keith Allison (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Scherzer allowed a home run to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge in the second, the first of a record 10 long balls during the game. Anaheim Angels superstar Mike Trout homered in the third for a 2-0 AL advantage, but solo dingers by Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras and Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story evened the score. The AL surged ahead 5-2 in the top of the 8th as Milwaukee Brewers bullpen phenom Josh Hader surrendered a 3-run bomb to Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura. The NL refused to give in, however. Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich notched a solo shot in the bottom of the inning, and with Mariners closer Edwin Díaz on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett stunned the crowd with a 2-run homer to tie the game at 5-5.

The All-Star Game then went into extra innings for the second straight year, but the contest was only briefly prolonged. Back-to-back AL long balls in the 10th preceded the game’s only non-homer tally (on a sacrifice fly) to make it an 8-5 game. Reds first baseman Joey Votto signaled an NL pulse with the game’s 10th and final home run in the bottom of the inning, but it was the last gasp for the National Leaguers.

Major League Baseball (MLB) Logo.
Credit: © Major League Baseball

The AL squad was led by A.J. Hinch, manager of the 2017 World Series champion Astros. Dave Roberts, manager of last year’s NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers, led the NL side. Pregame ceremonies, always elaborate at All-Star Games, were heavily military themed in the nation’s capital. After the baseball lineups were introduced, actor Bradley Cooper narrated an homage to 29 Medal of Honor recipients before a community of choirs from the District of Columbia sang the nation anthem. The Medal of Honor is the highest award for courage given by the United States military.

This year’s AL victory gave it a one-game edge in the all-time series between the leagues. Since the first All-Star Game in 1933, the AL has now won 44 times and NL squads have won 43 (along with 2 ties). The AL has outscored the NL by a scant 2 runs (363-361) in All-Star play. There was no All-Star Game in 1945 because of World War II travel restrictions, and from 1959 through 1962, there were two All-Star games each year.

In other All-Star festivities, hometown Nationals’ favorite Bryce Harper out-slugged Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night. On Sunday afternoon, the best of Minor League Baseball squared off in the All-Star Futures Game. The United States future stars downed the World Team, 10-6.