Awesome NL bullpen falters in the clutch

Eric Gagne and Billy Wagner gave up four runs in the collapse.
CHICAGO (AP) -- Pick the best closers in the game, and National League manager Dusty Baker had them in his bullpen.
Among them were John Smoltz, who saved an NL-record 55 games last year and already has 34 saves this year; Eric Gagne, who has converted 39 consecutive saves going back to last season; and Billy Wagner, the Houston Astros' career saves leader.
"That whole staff, that's something indescribable," Smoltz said. "In a normal situation, you don't have that kind of ammunition."
But that awesome arsenal didn't do any good. Smoltz never even got in the game, and Wagner and Gagne gave up four runs in the last two innings.
"It was a tough loss for us to see Eric Gagne get hit like that," Baker said. "How it ended is not exactly how I wished for the National League. But it is what it is."
Giambi homers
Wagner allowed a solo homer to Jason Giambi in the seventh inning, and Gagne gave up three runs, including a pinch-hit, two-run homer to Hank Blalock in the eighth.
"We had pride on the line, and no one wants to see it go like that," said Woody Williams, who gave up a two-run homer to Garret Anderson in the sixth inning to start the NL collapse.
"The bottom line is you make the pitches, you get outs. It just didn't happen."
On paper, the NL seemed to have the edge with its bullpen. Smoltz (34), Gagne (31) and Wagner (25) lead the NL in saves, and they are three of the most fearsome closers around.
Impressive numbers
Smoltz set a major league record earlier this season by being part of 73 straight games won by his Atlanta Braves. Gagne retired 24 straight batters in a stretch from May 31 to June 13. And Wagner has two 39-save seasons in the past four years.
When Andruw Jones hit a solo homer to give the NL a 6-3 lead in the top of the seventh, Wagner admitted they felt pretty good.
"We're pretty confident that game is pretty much in the bag," Wagner said. "But that's the beauty of baseball. There is no sure thing until it's over."
Facing the top of the AL lineup, Wagner quickly retired Bret Boone and Magglio Ordonez. But he missed with his very first pitch to Giambi, and the New York Yankees slugger sent the ball rocketing over the wall in center field.
"He did what he gets paid to do," Wagner said. "I don't know if it's shocking. The lefties that are in this league are not slackers. You're not looking at guys fresh out of college."
Anderson doubles
Baker turned to Gagne in the eighth, but the Los Angeles Dodgers' closer didn't fare any better. He retired Nomar Garciaparra on a grounder, but Garret Anderson followed with a double, his third hit of the night.
Pinch-runner Melvin Mora advanced to third on Carl Everett's grounder to first, and scored on Vernon Wells' RBI double to pull the AL within 6-5.
That brought up Blalock. His Texas Rangers aren't going to reap the benefits of the home-field advantage in the World Series that goes to the winner of the All-Star game.
But he delivered all the same, hitting a two-run homer on a 3-1 count.
"I actually thought of that the other day, 'What if I'm the guy to go out there and blow the save?' " Gagne said. "Hopefully I'll be in there in October so I can get my stuff back and go out there and redeem myself.
"I'll take the blame for the National League," he added. "Sorry, but that's the way it is if you want to be a closer."