ALL-STAR NOTEBOOK | From Chicago

Blalock was ready: Hank Blalock was fidgety and restless on the bench as he waited to play in his first All-Star game. "I'm always a guy if I'm not in the starting lineup, I'm always antsy," Blalock said. "They told me about the fourth or fifth inning to be ready to go in for third base." When the call finally came in the bottom of the eighth, it was to grab a bat and pinch-hit. And Blalock was ready against Eric Gagne, one of the NL's most dominant closers. "To go out and do something like this in my first All-Star game is really overwhelming for me," said Blalock. Blalock, 1-for-7 with a double as a pinch-hitter in previous attempts, hit a 3-1 pitch from Gagne, sending the AL dugout into a frenzy. "In a situation like that you can barely feel yourself run around the bases. I was just trying to get around without tripping," he said. "I was fortunate to come here in the first place and to do something like this is pretty special." Blalock hit .323 in the first half for the Rangers with 14 homers and 48 RBIs. But no homer was bigger than the one he hit Tuesday night. "It was unbelievable," Texas teammate Alex Rodriguez said. "He's had a phenomenal first half and hopefully he can take that hit and finish strong."
Almost Andruw: Andruw Jones did his part and might have been the MVP had the NL held on to win. Brought in to pinch-hit for Jim Edmonds in the fifth inning, Jones hit a two-run double as the NL jumped out to a 5-1 lead. He added a solo homer in his next at-bat, increasing the NL's lead to 6-3. Standing in the on-deck circle, Jones looked as if he might have one last chance in the ninth, when Rafael Furcal hit a drive that carried all the way to the wall. But it was caught for the last out. "I wanted to get up there," Jones said. "I just wanted to get a shot in the ninth inning and try to help the National League."
Old stomping grounds: Keith Foulke felt right at home. The Oakland Athletics closer, who spent 4 1/2 seasons with the White Sox, earned the save in his old ballpark. He pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning. "It was a lot of fun," Foulke said. "It wasn't like the regular fans were out there, but it's good to see a lot of the same people out there. It just put a smile on my face coming back here." Foulke is third on Chicago's career saves list, but the White Sox traded him to Oakland in the offseason for Billy Koch. The A's have gotten the better of the deal so far. Foulke is tied for second in the AL with 24 saves, while Koch has only 11 and has lost his closer's job to Tom Gordon.
Heavenly numbers: There's something about All-Star games in Chicago that agree with the Anaheim Angels. Garret Anderson's homer was the third by an Angel in an All-Star game, with all three coming in Chicago. Leon Wagner homered in 1962 at Wrigley Field, and Fred Lynn hit a grand slam in 1983 at old Comiskey Park.
Around the horn: The five home runs Tuesday night were the most in the All-Star game since 1981 when there also five, including two by Gary Carter, who is headed to the Hall of Fame this summer and was an honorary NL captain Tuesday night. ... By rallying from four runs down to win, the AL had the biggest comeback win since 1955. In that year, the AL built a 5-0 lead after six innings before the NL rallied for a 6-5 win at Milwaukee. ... The AL has won six straight dating to 1996, not counting last year's tie at Miller Park.
-- Associated Press