Atlanta catcher Brian McCann was just 12 years old the last time the National League won an All-Star Game.
The 26-year-old’s bases-clearing seventh-inning double finally ended the American League’s 13-year streak of dominance.
Game MVP McCann provided all the NL’s offense as the senior circuit knocked off the AL 3-1 in Anaheim, Calif., in the Midsummer Classic Tuesday night.
The AL, which has come back to win four straight one-run All-Star Games, finally ran out of heroics this time. Boston’s David Ortiz reached on a leadoff single in the ninth inning off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton but was forced out at second on a great defensive play by Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd, and the NL hung on for the win.Coming into the seventh inning, the NL offense had been stymied all night by a combination of Rays starter David Price, the Yankees’ Andy Pettitte, Texas’ Cliff Lee, the Tigers’ Justin Verlander and Jon Lester of Boston.
But the NL lineup, down 1-0, won the game in the seventh. Cincinnati’s Scott Rolen and the Cardinals’ Matt Holliday singled and Byrd drew a walk to load the bases for McCann.
The catcher did not disappoint, taking White Sox reliever Matt Thornton’s pitch to right for a three-run double.
The AL, as usual, didn’t go quietly. Toronto’s John Buck doubled with one out in the seventh off Holliday’s glove and the Blue Jays’ Vernon Wells reached on a fielder’s choice, but Angels local favorite Torii Hunter struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ortiz led off the ninth with a single, but Broxton struck out Adrian Beltre of the Red Sox and Byrd fielded Buck’s bloop to right, spun and threw Ortiz out at second.
Broxton then got the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler to fly out to Arizona’s Chris Young in center field to give the NL its first All-Star win since 1996.
The AL scored first, manufacturing a run to go on top in the fifth inning. New York’s Robinson Cano hit a sacrifice fly to deep left to score Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria, who had walked and gone to third on Dodgers pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo’s throwing error.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun made the prettiest defensive play of the night, robbing Texas’ Josh Hamilton of an extra-base hit with a diving snag in the fourth.
The Mets’ David Wright was the only player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-2.
Ubaldo Jimenez of Colorado was the first of nine NL pitchers, while 10 AL hurlers took the mound.
Washington reliever Matt Capps was the winning pitcher of record, while the Yankees’ Phil Hughes, who allowed two hits in the seventh, took the loss. Broxton was credited with the save.
NOTES: The players observed a moment of silence before the game for Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, 80, who died Tuesday morning. … With the win, the NL pennant winner will have home-field advantage in the World Series in October. … The NL leads the all-time series 41-38. … The senior circuit’s last win was 6-0 in Philadelphia in 1996. … Price, 24, was the youngest starting pitcher in an All-Star Game since the Mets’ Dwight Gooden, then 23, did it in 1988.
BOX SCORE
Photo above: Atlanta's Brian McCann hits a three-run double Tuesday. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
Video credit – FOX
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