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On paper, the National Division appeared to be the stronger squad in the 25th Annual DTBL All-Star Game. But it took a comeback for the ages for them to prove it. The American Division broke out to a 7-0 lead in the game’s first two innings and maintained a six run advantage at the seventh inning stretch. But then the script flipped and the National All-Stars stormed back. Francisco Lindor completed the comeback with a go-ahead two run homer in the bottom of the 8th. The National Division won the silver anniversary mid-summer classic at Kings Park by a final score of 8-7.
The game could not have gotten off to a much better start for the American Division. Facing Corey Kluber in the top of the first, the American team scored three runs. Paul Goldschmidt started the scoring with a two run home run, knocking in Jean Segura who had singled to start the game. Giancarlo Stanton followed the Goldschmidt blast with a single and reached third on a double by Eddie Rosario. Nelson Cruz knocked in Stanton on a groundout to give the American squad a three run lead before the National Division stepped to the plate against American starting pitcher Luis Severino.
Things appeared to unravel for the National team in the top of the second with Max Scherzer on the mound. Whit Merrifield reached on an error by National shortstop Javy Baez. A Jose Ramirez single and Goldschmidt walk loaded the bases with two outs for Stanton. On an 0-2 pitch, Stanton launched an opposite field grand slam home run, increasing the lead to 7-0. All four runs were unearned.
The American Division seemed to have this game under control. Severino completed two solid, scoreless innings. The National All-Stars did get one back in the third off of Chris Sale though, on another opposite field home run. Manny Machado’s blast to right cut the lead to 7-1. That would be it for the scoring until the seventh as both teams scattered a few hits but never really mounted any great scoring opportunities. In the top of the seventh, Brad Hand hit the first batter he faced, but then struck out the next three hitters to send the game to the seventh inning stretch. That’s when everything changed.
Craig Kimbrel came on to pitch for the American Division and promptly walked Aaron Judge. Then Freddie Freeman hit yet another opposite field home run. Like Stanton’s grand slam, this Freeman blast came on an 0-2 pitch. Lindor followed with an impressive nine pitch walk. After a one out single by Jose Altuve, Kimbrel was relieved of his duties. In came Josh Hader. His rough week continued. Mookie Betts greeted Hader with a three run home run to center, capping off a five run inning that cut the American lead to one run.
Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect top of the eighth with a pair of strikeouts, allowing the National All-Stars to maintain their momentum. In came Aroldis Chapman to try to protect the one run advantage. He did not. Aaron Judge reached on a walk for the second time in the game. With two outs and a runner on first, Lindor came up to the plate to face Chapman. He launched a two run homer to left, completing the epic comeback and giving the National Division an 8-7 lead.
Kenley Jansen got the call for the National squad in the ninth and retired the side in order to close out the stunning victory for the National Division. Doolittle was credited with the win, Chapman took the loss and Jansen recorded the save. Lindor was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, mainly on the strength of his game winning homer. But the Demigods shortstop also played a role in the big seventh inning with a key walk.
There were six home runs hit in the game, four for the National and two for the American. 14 of the 15 runs in the game were knocked in on home runs. As has been the norm in DTBL All-Star Games in recent years, there were lots and lots of strikeouts. National pitchers struck out an incredible 20 American hitters. American pitchers recorded 11 strikeouts too. Amazingly, no individual hitter struck out more than twice. But of the 14 American hitters who played in this game, Segura was the only one who didn’t fan.
Not to be overlooked was the impressive pitching by the National squad after the first two innings. In the final seven frames, National pitchers allowed just three hits, no runs, one walk and 17 strikeouts. The only base-runner of the final four innings for the American team was via a hit by pitch. Perhaps the most notable performance came from Blake Treinen, who struck out all three hitters he faced.
This was the third straight All-Star Game victory for the National Division. They now hold a 14-11 lead in the all-time series. Click here to check out the box score from the 25th edition of the DTBL Al-Star Game.