Rivera's Farewell Tour Continues As AL Shuts Out NL In Midsummer Classic

Dominant Rivera helped AL win
annual All Star Game last night.

The Midsummer Classic is always a special one because it features the world's greatest players, determines home-field advantage in the World Series, and occasionally makes history like it did on Tuesday night.  Miguel Cabrera's lead-off double to open the fourth inning began a party that would last all season for American League teams.  The top half of the fourth and fifth innings were shockingly identical in how they began and ended.  A double opened up both innings and a single followed to advance the runner to third with no outs.  The following two at-bats consisted of a sacrifice RBI and a double play that closed out the inning.  Jose Bautista drove in Miguel Cabrera with a flyout to center in the fourth inning and Adam Jones scored in the fifth when J.J. Hardy grounded into a fielder's choice.  The American League also added a run in the eighth when Salvador Perez scored off Jason Kipnis' two-out double, but pitching was on-target throughout the game and helped finish off the National League.  The pitching was dominant throughout the evening with ten pitchers combining to throw a three-hitter, and two of the world's greatest closers in history performed well in crunch time.  Mariano Rivera, playing in his thirteenth and final All Star Game, shutdown all three batters he faced in the eighth inning with only sixteen pitches. His historic performance made him the first relief pitcher to be named All Star Game MVP and first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999 to win the award.  He will finish his All Star Game career with an impressive 0.00 ERA in nine innings of work.  Joe Nathan closed the deal in the ninth as the American League shutout the National League 3-0 and ended a three-game losing streak.  It was the first time in the eighty-four year history that consecutive shutouts occurred in the All Star Game (NL won 8-0 in 2012).  After an exciting Home Run Derby and All Star Game at Citi Field the past two nights, it's time for the pennant races to begin!