Royals Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez Lead AL To 4-2 Win Over NL In 2016 All-Star Game

Kansas City Royals Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez both homered in a three-run second inning to power the American League to a 4-2 victory over the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Petco Park in San Diego.

Royals Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez Lead AL To 4-2 Win Over NL In 2016 All-Star Game

The AL also sent off Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz with a win in his final All-Star Game. Hosmer added an RBI single in the third inning and became the first Royal since Bo Jackson in 1989 to receive MVP honors.

“This whole week, this whole San Diego All-Star Game has been unbelievable,” Hosmer said. “It’s a dream come true, and it kind of felt like my first big league homer right there. It was special.”

It was no surprise the Royals first baseman felt that way. Hosmer’s solo homer to left field off San Francisco Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto in the bottom of the second came in the first All-Star at-bat of his life. Two batters later, Perez became the first catcher in Royals history to score a homer in an All-Star Game, blasting a high two-run bomb to left field.

Indians right-hander Corey Kluber pitched a perfect second to earn the win for the AL, which has now won four consecutive All-Star Games. Kluber also became the first Cleveland pitcher to win an All-Star Game since now-Mets ace Bartolo Colon in 1998.

Chicago Cub Kris Bryant gave the NL a lead in the first, firing a solo shot off the scoreboard beyond the left-field first deck. Miami’s Marcell Ozuna added an RBI single to center field off Toronto right-hander Aaron Sanchez in the fourth to plate Buster Posey and cut the deficit to two runs. However, the AL bullpen didn’t falter after that.

In the top of the eighth, Astros right-hander Will Harris punched out Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz with the bases loaded to keep the AL ahead by two. Orioles lefty Zach Britton then worked a smooth ninth to record the save.

“It’s baseball; we face All-Stars all the time,” Harris said. “It’s no different. You just want to do your job, and now the game counts for so much. With home-field advantage, there’s a little bit extra on the line which makes it that much more fun.”

Britton got Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado to ground into a game-ending double play to seal the win for the AL.

Ortiz, a 40-year-old 10-time All-Star, smacked a ball to first base in the top of the first that was deftly picked up by the Cubs’s Anthony Rizzo. This was the only official at-bat of the night for the Dominican Red Sox slugger. He walked in the third and was removed for a pinch-runner to a loud ovation from both fans and players. Ortiz, who is batting .332 and leads the Majors in on-base percentage and slugging, will retire after the season.

“It’s something that I’ll never forget, when you see all your boys,” Ortiz said of being greeted by his teammates as he left the field. “Pretty much everybody in this dugout has been related to me one way or another.”

Angels center fielder Mike Trout lined a single to center off Cueto in the first to raise his All-Star Game hitting streak to five– and he’s recorded a hit in his first at-bat on all five occasions.

“I’m enjoying it more; I know what I’m going to do,” Trout said of his fifth All-Star experience. “The guys in there do a good job keeping me in the right line, where I’m going at the right time, and I just try to enjoy every minute of it. This time it went so fast.”

Fan-favorite Wil Myers of the Padres roped a two-out double in the fifth, making him the first player to record an extra-base hit in a hometown All-Star Game since Mariners outfielder Mike Cameron did so in 2001. One inning earlier, lefty Drew Pomeranz threw a scoreless fourth and left to a standing ovation.

“The fans were just going crazy since we’re here in our home city,” Pomeranz said. “Especially when they announced both of us. It was pretty awesome. It’s pretty special to have your first one anywhere, but even more so here.”

SAN DIEGO, CA – JULY 12: Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals and the American League rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the National League in the 2nd inning of the 87th Annual MLB All-Star Game at PETCO Park on July 12, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)