#349---All-Star Game, 7/14/2009

 

This game is most notable for the lack of NL’s lackluster offensive showing; they were retired in order in seven of the nine frames. Yet it was a close game as one of the innings with baserunners was a three-run second off Roy Halladay that counted the AL’s two-run first off Tim Lincecum. Joe Mauer’s double off Chad Billingsley in the fifth tied it, and it remained that way until the eighth when Curtis Granderson tripled off Heath Bella and Jacque Jones plated him with a sacrifice fly. Joe Nathan got into some two out trouble in the eighth, but fanned Ryan Howard with runners at the corners to preserve the lead. Mariano Rivera then closed it out 1-2-3 in the ninth.

#348---All-Star Game, 7/10/2007

 

The AL got all five of its runs on homers, the first coming from Ichiro Suzuki (who also collected two other hits to earn MVP laurels) on an inside the park homer into Pac Bell Park’s triples alley. Carl Crawford and Victor Martinez added homers later, and it was 5-2 AL heading into the ninth. JJ Putz retired the first two batters, but then the NL mounted a furious rally to try to avenge the AL’s two-out, bases empty ninth inning rally in the 2008 game. Dmitri Young got an infield single, Alfonso Soriano homered, and JJ Hardy walked to drive Putz from the game. K-Rod came in and promptly walked Derrek Lee and Orlando Hudson, but he got Aaron Rowand to fly to right to get the save by the skin of his teeth.

Playing in his last All-Star Game, Barry Bonds was 0-2, but at least he got to play in front of an appreciative home crowd rather than in front of the jackals that would have confronted him in any of the other 29 parks.

#347---All-Star Game, 7/11/2006

 

Vladimir Guerrero and David Wright traded second inning longballs before the NL took a 2-1 lead on Roy Halladay’s wild pitch in the third. For the next five innings, each side mustered only two baserunners as luminary relievers like Brian Fuentes and Derek Turnbow controlled the game.

In the ninth the actual relief luminaries came in. Trevor Hoffman (#2 on the all-time save list) got two comebackers and was just one out away before Paul Konerko singled and Troy Glaus doubled. Michael Young fouled off the first two pitches he saw, then lined a triple to center that pulled the game out of the fire for the AL.

Now it was Mariano Rivera’s (#1 on the all-time save list) chance, and he dodged a Jose Lopez error, to close out the NL.

#346---All-Star Game, 7/12/2005

 

It didn’t take long after “This Time it Counts” became a thing to go back to the model of the primary goal of the All-Star manager being to completely empty the bench and bullpen. The ninth inning is a perfect example as Bob Wickman, BJ Ryan, and Mariano Rivera were all deployed. The NL had the tying runs on with nobody out, but Paul LoDuca, Carlos Lee, and Morgan Ensberg could not deliver.

#345---All-Star Game, 7/13/2004

Roger Clemens did not have a good outing in his home park, as the AL batted around and put up six runs, hitting for the cycle with homers from Manny Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano. David Ortiz later replaced his teammate Ramirez and also hit a two-run homer; they each homered and walked, with Ramirez also making an out. Ted Lilly, Joe Nathan, Tom Gordon, Francisco Rodriguez, and Mariano Rivera combined to retire the final twelve NL hitters.

I think Dan Kolb and Ken Harvey win this game’s prize for most surprising All-Stars