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An "American" "Presidential" All-Star game
By Pearl Allison Lo July 14, 2009 |
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The American League won the 80th All-Star game with a now 12-0-1 record and President Barack Obama made 2 appearances throughout the game, as the National League lost 4-3 Tuesday in St. Louis. President Barack Obama threw the ceremonial first pitch, his second time doing so, to Albert Pujols. The presidential Chicago native and White Sox fan sported his team's jacket when he joined the sportscast at the end of the second inning. Roy Halladay, Ryan Franklin, Mark Buehrle, Zack Greinke, Edwin Jackson, Felix Hernandez, Francisco Cordero, Jonathan Papelbon, Francisco Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera each pitched a scoreless inning during the game. The AL shut down 18 straight batters. The top of the 1st inning featured 3 fielder's choice plays by the National League and a rough start for starting pitcher Tim Lincecum. The American League's Ichiro Suzuki led off with a hit, Derek Jeter was hit near the hands and Suzuki was called out on a fielder's choice with Joe Mauer at bat. On a fielder's choice and error by Pujols, Jeter scored the first run. Bay then singled to load the bases and on the third fielder's choice play, Mauer scored to give the National League a 2-0 lead. Lincecum recovered next inning with a 1-2-3 inning, in total striking out 4 straight batters, including the last out of the top of the first. This was the end of his All-Star appearance. The National League retaliated in the bottom of the 2nd inning with 4 consecutive hits on 2 outs. The first 3 were singles, with the third single giving the National League their first run and the tying run as Josh Hamilton's throw glanced off Shane Victorino. Reigning Home Run Derby king Prince Fielder followed by hitting a ground rule double to give the National League a 3-2 lead. In the fifth, the National League nabbed the lead runner twice to get the first 2 outs, but the American League still scored, as Mauer hit one into the left field corner to score Jeter all the way from first and tie the game. Pujols had two solid defensive plays this inning, getting one of the lead runners and diving for the ball to his right to secure the final out. There was only one double play during the game. It occurred during the sixth, with the National League's Trevor Hoffman on the mound. In the seventh, the American League's Carl Crawford made a spectacular and Most Valuable Player play when he gloved Brad Hawpe's ball to prevent it from going out and giving the National League the lead. Papelbon, then on the mound, was the winning pitcher. The American League then scored the winning run next inning, by way of a Curtis Granderson triple, who scored on a fly ball by Adam Jones after Victor Martinez was intentionally walked. Joe Nathan of the American League also played a key role during a pivotal moment when ace pinch hitter Ryan Howard came up to bat with runners on the corner and two outs. Nathan eventually struck Howard out. The National League's Heath Bell received the loss and Rivera earned his record 4th All-Star save. The All-Star players were also playing for Feeding America, where Bank of America donated $5,000 for every hit during the game, and two other charities. Holiday Inn made donations for the National League to the MLB RBI program and the American League to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The American League as the winners received 50,000 for their charity and the National League received 25,000. Game notes: The AL's Michael Young started at third base for Evan Longoria who was selected to be a starter and announced before the game, but had to sit because of an infected finger. Crawford received a glass bat trophy for his efforts. It was the shortest All-Star game since 1988. Tim Wakefield and the A's Andrew Bailey did not appear during the game. Other All-Stars who made appearances were: Mark Teixeira, Aaron Hill, Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, Ryan Braun, Raul Ibanez, David Wright, Justin Morneau, Jason Bartlett, Kevin Youkilis, Ben Zobrist, Brandon Inge, Adrian Gonzalez, Orlando Hudson, Justin Upton, Raul Ibanez, Chad Billingsley, Ryan Zimmerman, Dan Haren, Brian McCann, Jayson Werth, Miguel Tejada and Yadier Molina |
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