In a baseball season with headlines dominated by pitchers, it was quite appropriate that the pitching staff for the National Division was primarily responsible for a 4-1 victory in the 17th annual Dream Team Baseball League All-Star Game. The game took place last Monday night, a day later that originally scheduled due to travel problems for yours truly. But fortunately we were able to get the game in a day later. A three run seventh inning proved to be the difference in the game as the National All-Stars picked up the victory at Cougar Coliseum, home of Kelly’s Cougars.
Only two players from the host team made the National All-Star squad, but both played significant roles in the victory, including staff ace Adam Wainwright who got the start on the mound. He was opposed by early Cy Young Award candidate, Ubaldo Jimenez of the Gators. Both starters were sharp in this one, pitching a pair of scoreless innings. Jimenez did get into a bit of a jam in the bottom of the second though. Justin Morneau touched him up with a one out triple. However, successive strike outs of Robinson Cano and Hanley Ramirez ended the threat. The Ramirez at bat was especially dominating as Ramirez whiffed at three consecutive pitches.
Chris Carpenter took the mound for the National Division in the third and was rudely greeted with a lead-off home run by Ryan Braun, giving the American All-Stars an early 1-0 lead. The National squad quickly answered in the bottom half. Cougars outfielder Josh Hamilton knocked a two out single to right-center scoring Joe Mauer who had singled to lead off the inning. The National team recorded three singles in the inning off league ERA leader Josh Johnson.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh. Neither team recorded more than one hit in an inning during the middle frames. Rafael Soriano took the mound for the American Division in the seventh and quickly retired the first two batters he faced. But it started to unravel after that. Soriano hit Torii Hunter and uncorked a pair of wild pitches on his way to walking Alex Rios. Billy Wagner then relieved Soriano with runners on the corners. An Adam Dunn single scored Hunter. Then Kevin Youkilis reached on an error by third baseman David Wright to load the bases. A bases loaded walk to Morneau increased the lead to 3-1. Then Cano followed with another single to score the third run of the inning. When the inning finally ended, the National All-Stars had built a 4-1 lead.
The American Division never really had an opportunity to get back in the game after the big seventh inning. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Brian Wilson retired the American hitters in order in the ninth, including a pair of strike outs. The game ended on a Wilson strike out of Albert Pujols after a lengthy nine pitch at bat. Jonathan Broxton picked up the victory for the National Division while Soriano took the loss and Wilson recorded the save.
There was a small controversy regarding the selection of the game’s Most Valuable Player. OOTP chose Ryan Braun, but Dave and I immediately overruled that selection since not only was he on the losing team, but his solo home run was his only hit of the game. There were a number of candidates, including Dunn and Cano, but we went with Kings first baseman Justin Morneau. Morneau was one for two with a triple and two walks in four plate appearances. One of his walks was with the bases loaded, so he also had an RBI.
National pitchers were completely dominating in this one. Not only did they surrender just the one run on a solo home run, but they gave up only four hits to a very impressive American lineup. National pitchers also recorded 10 strike outs with just one walk. American pitchers were not quite as dominant, but they gave up just two earned runs and struck out nine.
Thanks to Dave and Nick for the time they spent making the final roster selections, setting their lineups and then showing up to manage the game. It was a well played game and a great way to kick off the second half of the season. Now we will just have to see if someone is going to make a run at the Darkhorses who appear primed to make it four in a row.