American League Wins Seventh All-Star Game In A Row

by Collin HelwigJuly 12, 2019, 10:07 pmDaily Digest, News >

Nearly every baseball star assembled Monday night at Progressive Field for the 2019 MLB All–Star game, where the American league again emerged victorious with a 1–run win. With another victory, the American League extended their winning streak to seven games, going 11 for 14 since 2003.

Astros outfielder Michael Brantley drove in the first run, scoring his teammate Alex Bregman with a double ricocheting off the left field wall. During the following innings both teams flashed their pitching talents such as Jacob DeGrom, Luis Castillo, Jose Berrios, and Lucas Giolito as neither team added any runs until the fifth inning until Jorge Polanco brought home Gary Sanchez, adding another run to the American League effort.

The National league plated their first run the following inning, as Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon homered off Liam Henricks, bringing the game to a 2–1 score still favoring the American League. Xander Bogaerts and Joey Gallo responded during the seventh, as both brought in runs at the pate and stretched the lead out to three. Although home run derby champion Pete Alonso scored two runs with an eighth inning RBI single, both offenses quickly sputtered out after, and the American League won by a 4–3 score.

Yankees closer Aroldis Champman shut the door once trotting out to the hill in the ninth, striking out the side and granting the save. His teammate, Masahiro Tanaka, earned the win, as the pair became the first Yankee teammates to do so in an All–Star game. In a night seemingly made for Yankees pitchers, veteran hurler C.C. Sabathia also got his moment as he threw out the game’s first pitch while the city where he began his Hall of Fame career, Cleveland, cheered behind him. The crowd honored Sabathia as he trotted out to the mound during the game’s closing frames as well.

The Midsummer Classic now posters a 45–43–1 record, favoring the American league as they continue to ride this hot streak over the last decade and a half.