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Fielder’s homer gives NL 2nd straight win
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
National League's Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a three-run home run during the fourht inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game Tuesday, July 12, 2011, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Photo
American League's Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays is tagged out at home plate by National League's Brian McCann of the Atlanta Braves after trying to score on a hit by American League's Adrian Beltre of the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning of the MLB All-Star baseball game Tuesday, July 12, 2011, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Newsday
PHOENIX
The National League is on an All-Star Game roll of a lifetime. Or at least of a career.
Look at it this way: The last time the NL captured multiple consecutive Midsummer Classics — 1994, 1995 and 1996 — only one player from this year’s NL squad was active. Starting third baseman Scott Rolen of Cincinnati made his big-league debut in 1996.
Now the NL has a two-game winning streak, thanks to its 5-1 pounding of the American League on Tuesday night at Chase Field. On the heels of last year’s 4-3 triumph at Angel Stadium, the NL pennant winner once again will own the homefield advantage in the World Series.
Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder, who drew the wrath of the locals here because he didn’t select Arizona’s Justin Upton for the Home Run Derby, silenced his critics by winning the game’s Most Valuable Player honors. The game turned on Fielder’s mammoth, fourth-inning, three-run homer off Texas’ C.J. Wilson, giving the NL a 3-1 lead that it never relinquished.
The AL put runners on second and third in the ninth, but Brian Wilson, the Giants’ eccentric closer, came in to get the final two outs.
Washington’s Tyler Clippard, a former Yankees farmhand, picked up the win even though he faced only one batter, Texas’ Adrian Beltre, and allowed a single. The top of the fourth concluded when Houston leftfielder Hunter Pence threw out Toronto’s Jose Bautista at home.
The Mets’ Carlos Beltran started the winning rally with an infield hit, and thus he became the most notable New York player.
Even before that, however, Beltran generated discussion. During Fox’s broadcast of the game, Wilson mentioned how much he’d enjoy having Beltran as a teammate. The Giants, starved for offense, are interested in trading for Beltran.
“I didn’t know that,” Beltran said, when asked about Wilson’s comments. “Right now, I’m playing for the Mets, and we’re playing good baseball.”
He reiterated the line he has used all season: He’s happy with the Mets, but if the Mets decide to sell off veterans — a distinct possibility — then he’ll consider all of his options. Beltran has a full no-trade clause, so he can control his destiny.
Yankees reliever David Robertson made his All-Star Game debut in a most unlikely fashion. As Josh Beckett warmed up to replace starter Jered Weaver in the second, the Red Sox righthander felt something in his left knee, which he hyperextended in his previous start, and opted not to enter the game, citing precautionary reasons.
So Robertson, as an official injury replacement, took as much time as he needed to warm up. He issued a one-out single to his former Yankees teammate Lance Berkman, now with St. Louis, but struck out the Cardinals’ Matt Holliday, and catcher Alex Avila threw out Berkman trying to steal second for an inning-ending double play.
The Yankees’ two starters, Curtis Granderson and Home Run Derby champion Robinson Cano, failed to hit the ball out of the infield in a combined four trips to the plate.
Granderson, hitting leadoff, grounded out to first and grounded out to second. Cano, hitting eighth, hit into a 3-1 play and offered a fifth-inning grounder to first that Cincinnati’s Joey Votto handled by himself.