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!

MVP Prince leads NL to Back-to-Back Victories for 1st Time in 15 Years

After winning its first All Star Game in 14 years last season, the National League was determined to build on its momentum as host of the World Series.  The game began as a pitcher's duel as one hit was allowed through the first three innings.  After 11 straight AL batters were shutdown, Adrian Gonzalez hit a solo home run to right center in the top of the 4th for an early 1-0 lead.  After three straight hits were given up to the AL, Adrian Beltre looked to extend his team's lead with a single, but Hunter Pence had other ideas as he threw out Jose Bautista at home for the final out of the inning.  The National League responded with two straight innings of scoring.  The NL would take their first lead of the game off Prince Fielder's 3-run homer in the bottom of the 4th and would later extend their lead off Andre Ethier's RBI single in the 5th.  Although the NL had a 4-1 lead late in the game, Hunter Pence knew in his mind that this wasn't enough.  His 7th inning single to shallow left and his double steal on a wild pitch put him in scoring position as Pablo Sandoval headed to the plate.  Sandoval's ground-rule double to left scored Pence and put the National League up 5-1 for good.  Tyler Clippard of the Washington Nationals earned the victory for the National League with his 1/3 innings pitched in the top of the 4th and Brian Wilson, aka "The Beard", came in for the final two outs of the game and earned the save.  Prince Fielder also became the first Milwaukee Brewer to win the MVP of the Midsummer Classic.  The National League champion is yet to be determined, but whoever it turns out to be will enjoy the home-field advantage in the World Series like the World Champion Giants did last year.