Byron Buxton followed with another walk and the American League won its ninth straight Midsummer Classic, defeating the National League 3-2 on Tuesday night. AL manager Dusty Baker reminded his team of the winning streak before the game. “We had to keep it down for him and keep it going,” Stanton said. Fans looking for a tie after nine innings so they could see a home run derby decided for the first time instead of extra innings didn’t get their wish. Instead, veteran homers in the fourth inning were the difference as the AL extended its overall advantage to 47-43-2. Facing 11-game hitter Tony Gonsolin of the Dodgers, Stanton’s 457-foot shot landed in the left-field bleachers, not far from where the Los Angeles native watched games as a youngster. “He smokes them,” NL manager Brian Snitker said. “Big, strong kid.” Stanton and his father, Mike, would sit out there after buying tickets from scalpers for whatever price they could afford. “My Pops took me to my first Dodger game, showed me how to love this game, and now here we are,” the New York Yankees slugger said. “Look at us, it’s just incredible.” Despite his love for the home team, Stanton was excited to see the visiting sluggers. “They were really the big boppers when they came to town,” he said. “I wanted to see (Mark) McGwire, (Sammy) Sosa and (Barry) Bonds, even if it was two at-bats. It all comes full circle.” Stanton was named the game’s MVP, receiving a glass bat engraved with his name from Dodgers-owned two-time MVPs Steve Garvey and Billie Jean King. “It hasn’t fully sunk in,” he said. “It will be an amazing memory for all our lives.” The homer ended Stanton’s career 0-for-7 skid in the game, and at 111.2 mph, it was the hardest homer in an All-Star Game tracked by Statcast. Jose Ramirez also scored, making it 2-all. Four pitches later, Buxton went deep to give the AL a 3-2 lead against a clearly frustrated Gonsolin, who took the loss. Nine-time All-Star Clayton Kershaw made his first career NL home start, with the Dodgers hosting for the first time since 1980. Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani had his first hit game on Kershaw’s first pitch. Houston’s Framber Valdez got the win, throwing a scoreless third inning. AL starter Shane McClanahan of Tampa Bay gave up two runs and four hits. The first-time All-Star, who owns an MLB-leading 1.71 ERA, had allowed four or fewer hits in his last seven starts. McClanahan joined 10 other pitchers in the five. Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase put on a good show, striking out the team in the ninth to earn the save. Austin Riley’s single in the eighth was the NL’s only hit after the first inning. Ohtani led the way for the AL as the designated hitter. In an interview moments before kick-off, the Japanese superstar admitted he would be swinging. He smashed a 91 mph fastball into center field on the first pitch. “I was definitely swinging a hundred percent,” Ohtani said through a translator. “Kershaw has very good command.” His hit snapped an 0 for 8 hit streak against Kershaw. Last year, Ohtani was the starting pitcher and led off as the DH in a 5-2 AL win in Denver. He didn’t play this year so he could start Friday in the Angels’ first game back from the Atlanta break. “I mean, you can’t throw the first pitch of an All-Star Game as a breaking ball,” Kershaw said. “You kind of had to give him a heater there, I think for everything. I had to do it.” But the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner had the final say. Kershaw threw a throw to first that caught Ohtani off the bag. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to throw yet. Sometimes I fly there for a second to punish the pitch,” Kershaw said. “I wasn’t trying to pick him. I was trying to slow the game down a little bit, but it worked.” Then Yankees shortstop Aaron Judge went down swinging. After Rafael Devers walked, Wladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded into a fielder’s choice and Kershaw exited to applause from an appreciative crowd. “I tried to take a minute at the beginning to take it all in and look around, which I usually never do,” Kershaw said. “It calmed me down and I had a lot of fun afterwards.” The NL wasted no time taking their first 2-0 lead in 10 years. With yellow spikes and alternating yellow and red sleeves, Ronald Acuna Jr. led off the bottom of the first with a double to left and scored on Mookie Betts’ single. Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo homer with two outs. In the middle innings, AL second baseman Andres Gimenez made a defensive stop to Manny Machado and followed with a dazzling behind-the-back throw to shortstop Tim Anderson, who threw to first to complete the double play. A crowd of 52,518 filled Dodger Stadium two years after it was supposed to host the third-oldest ballpark in the major cities before the game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CANADIAN CONTENT Toronto Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah dominated on the mound — and on the mic — while pitching a second scoreless shutout for the American League. Manoah provided plenty of entertainment as he bowled three hitters Speaking on the FOX telecast, Manoah provided plenty of entertainment as he struck out three NL hitters — William Contreras, Joc Pederson and Ronald Acuna Jr. — and in between he also hit Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets. “Three punches! Let’s go!” Manoah yelled into the FOX TV-provided microphone as he walked off the mound after striking out Acuna to end the inning. Manoah threw to his Toronto teammate, catcher Alexander Kirk. play first The game also featured Jays second baseman Santiago Espinal, who went 0-1 at the plate and drew a walk. Reliever Jordan Romano was off the deck with the pitch and Cleveland Guardians’ Emmanuel Klass struck out in the ninth. He struck out all three batters he faced. Guerrero went 0-for-2 with the side, grounded into a fielder’s choice in the first inning, and popped out to deep center in the fourth. HERE’S TO YOU, MS. ROBINSON Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, with all the other All-Stars gathered behind him, led the crowd in sending Rachel Robinson 100th birthday wishes. On his 1-2-3 count, the crowd and players chanted “Happy Birthday, Rachel!” Jackie Robinson’s widow did not travel from her home in New York. She visited Dodger Stadium in April on Jackie Robinson Day to commemorate the 75th anniversary of her husband breaking baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Jackie Robinson’s achievement was honored with on-field remarks from the Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington and a presentation on the video boards. FIRST GAME Backed by a mariachi band, Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Fittingly, first-time All-Star Alejandro Kirk of Toronto served as catcher. Kirk and Valenzuela were both born in Mexico. Fernandomania gripped the Dodgers in 1981, when the left-hander won Rookie of the Year and the Cy Young Award while helping LA win the World Series. FASHION CRITICS Reviews were mostly negative for the second year in a row in the All-Star uniforms. AL wore dark gray uniforms that matched the umpire’s black shirt and dark gray pants. NL wore all white uniforms. Both had gold lettering. Fans were critical on social media, with frequent criticism of it being “atrocious”. Last year, MLB moved away from wearing traditional jerseys, which was met with heavy criticism online. THE SHIFT IS STILL ON Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman batted to third to the now familiar chants of “Freddie! Freddie!” Even in the exhibition game, there was an extreme changeup and it was thrown out of right field. Home Run Derby champion Juan Soto was thrown out by the third baseman playing much closer to second base to end the fifth. Next season, the change goes away. TAKE IT EASY Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully, the voice of the Dodgers for 67 years before retiring in 2016, watched the game from his home in Los Angeles. The 94-year-old Bronx native started playing games when the franchise was in Brooklyn and followed the team west before the 1958 season. NEXT The regular season resumes with six games Thursday, including Stanton, Judge and the Yankees playing a doubleheader in Houston. The Yankees own the best record in the majors at 64-28. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Baker’s Astros have the second best record in the AL at 59-32. “I’m sorry we have to play him a doubleheader on Thursday,” Baker said. “But for today, we’re on the same side.” Also will be Freeman, Betts, Trea Turner and the Dodgers, 60-30 atop the NL, hosting the Giants.
