ALL-STAR GAME Rocket launched: AL batters NL

The American League scored six first-inning runs en route to a 9-4 victory.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Roger Clemens was all set for a homecoming bash. Instead, it turned into an All-Star bust.
Left with a pained look on his face after MVP Alfonso Soriano and Manny Ramirez homered, Clemens was long gone by the time the American League finished off its 9-4 win over the National League on Tuesday night.
"I put our guys in a hole," Clemens said.
And how.
With a sellout crowd at Minute Maid Park cheering for him before the first pitch, and an in-game tribute already scheduled, Clemens gave up a record six runs in the first inning.
The Houston Astros ace certainly couldn't blame his catcher.
Feuding with Mike Piazza for four years, Clemens was forced to work with his nemesis this time. Piazza put down a series of signals and let the six-time Cy Young winner pick.
"Basically, I just try to roll through it. He stops me at what he wants to throw," Piazza said.
David Ortiz also homered and Derek Jeter got three hits as the Americans romped to their seventh straight win, not including the infamous tie in 2002. They closed their overall deficit to 40-33-2 and clinched home-field advantage in the World Series for the second year in a row.
Ichiro Suzuki led off the game with a double, Ivan Rodriguez followed with a triple and the rout was on. The Americans reduced the 41-year-old Rocket to a batting practice pitcher, becoming the first team in All-Star history to hit for the cycle in an inning.
Pregame buildup
Much of the pregame buildup centered on the checkered past between Clemens and Piazza. Clemens beaned the New York Mets catcher in the 2000 regular season at Yankee Stadium, then threw the jagged barrel of a broken bat toward him in the World Series.
Even prior to the first pitch, it was clear their feud was still simmering.
Clemens and Piazza stood a few feet apart before the team picture was taken near the hill in center field at Minute Maid Park, but did not speak to each other.
And while winning pitcher Mark Mulder warmed up with Rodriguez, Clemens started getting ready with a bullpen catcher. Piazza came over and caught just a couple of pitches before leaving the bullpen for pregame introductions.
Before Ramirez hit a two-run homer on an 0-2 delivery, Clemens and Piazza took several seconds to agree on what to throw.
"We were a little indecisive there," Piazza said.
Piazza applauded, however, when Clemens was honored by commissioner Bud Selig in a ceremony along the first-base line after the fourth inning.
Second baseman Jeff Kent didn't help Clemens, his Houston teammate, by making a two-out error on Giambi's grounder in the first. Jeter followed with a single and Soriano homered for a 6-0 lead.
It was the biggest outburst in an All-Star game since Fred Lynn's grand slam highlighted a seven-run inning for the AL in 1983.
Standouts
Alex Rodriguez, one of eight players from the first-place Yankees on the AL roster, hit an RBI triple in the fourth.
Ortiz, who replaced Ramirez, homered in the sixth. Ramirez and Ortiz became the first teammates to connect for the AL in an All-Star game since Cleveland's Al Rosen and Larry Doby in 1954.
"We stayed pretty aggressive," AL manager Joe Torre of the Yankees said.
Jeter finished 3-for-3 after being elected to his first All-Star start. At 7-for-10, the Yankees shortstop has the highest average of anyone with at least 10 All-Star at-bats.
AMERICANNATIONAL
abrhbiabrhbi
ISuzuki cf4110Rnteria ss3111
JVzqez p0000JWilsn ss2000
Blliard 2b1000Pujols 1b3122
IRdrgz c4121Thome 1b2000
VMrtnz c1000Bonds lf2000
VGrero rf4110Pavano p0000
Lilly p0000TGlvin p0000
Tejada ss1000BAbreu ph1000
MRmrz lf2112BShets p0000
DOrtiz 1b1212L Duca c0000
ARdrgz 3b3011Rolen 3b1010
Blalock 3b2000Lowell 3b2000
JaGbi 1b2110SSosa rf2011
Crwfrd lf2000Cbrera rf2000
Matsui lf1000Piazza c2000
Jeter ss3130JEstda c2000
Lawton cf2010Gagne p0000
ASrano 2b3123Brkmn cf2000
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Nathan p0000RJhson p0000
Gordon p0000Zmbrno p0000
FRdrgz p0000CBeltrn cf2110
MRivra p0000Helton ph1000
Totals419149Totals36494
American600102000--9
National100300000--4
E--JKent (1). DP--National 1. LOB--American 7, National 7. 2B--ISuzuki (1), Renteria (1), Pujols 2 (2). 3B--IRodriguez (1), ARodriguez (1). HR--MRamirez (1), DOrtiz (1), ASoriano (1).
IPHRERBBSO
American
Mulder W,1-0221101
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Sabathia143300
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Lilly120001
Nathan100002
Gordon1-300000
FRodriguez2-300000
MRivera100000
National
Clemens L,0-1156302
Kolb110000
RJohnson130001
Zambrano111111
Pavano232201
TGlavine110000
BSheets100001
Gagne100012
HBP--by Mulder (Rolen). Umpires--Home, Ed Montague; First, John Hirschbeck; Second, Doug Eddings; Third, Jim Reynolds; Left, Marvin Hudson; Right, Sam Holbrook. T--2:59. A--41,886.