2007 MLB SPECIAL COVERAGE- 78^TH ALL-STAR GAME
Game played July 10, 2007

Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki paced the American League All-Stars, garnering MVP honors after going three-for-three with an inside-the-park home run, the first in All-Star Game history, leading the junior circuit to a 5-4 win over the National League and extending its undefeated streak in All-Star Game play to eleven games, including 2002’s infamous tie.

However, the NL drew first blood in its first at-bat. The Mets’ Jose Reyes led off with a single up the middle and stole second off Oakland’s Dan Haren, the AL starting pitcher. With two down, Cincinnati’s Ken Griffey Jr. singled off the mound up the middle, scoring Reyes and giving the NL a 1-0 lead. Griffey’s single was his 11^th base hit in Midsummer Classic play, the active career leader.

Then, in the top of the fourth inning, the AL squandered its first good chance to score. The Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, hampered with a sore hamstring, singled and stole second. However, with two out, Detroit’s Ivan Rodriguez had a safe base knock into right field, but Griffey threw Alex Rodriguez out by several steps at the plate and the Dodgers’ Russell Martin made a great catch and tag at the dish, ending the inning.

The AL did get on the board and take the lead for good in its next time at the plate. Baltimore’s Brian Roberts reached on a walk by San Diego’s Chris Young, and Suzuki, with one out, hit the ball off the right field fence. The ball took a weird bounce, caroming away from Griffey and allowing Roberts and Suzuki to score, taking a 2-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth, Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford hit a solo shot to deep right field, making the score 3-1, AL. In the bottom of the inning, the Mets’ Carlos Beltran led off with a triple off the right field wall, and Griffey’s sac fly scored Beltran and made it 3-2.

The top of the eighth proved to be the inning that salted the game away for the AL. Boston’s Mike Lowell singled, and Cleveland’s Victor Martinez hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer off the Mets’ Billy Wagner down the left-field line, giving the AL a 5-2 lead.

The NL did catch a little lightning in a bottle in the bottom of the ninth to make things interesting. With Seattle closer J.J. Putz on to shut it down, Washington’s Dmitri Young reached on a two-out single off Roberts’ glove, and the Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano quickly jacked a two-run shot to right to cut the deficit to 5-4. Then, after Putz walked Milwaukee’s J.J. Hardy, the Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez came on for the AL, and promptly walked the Cubs’ Derrek Lee on a full-count, check-swing, and issued another free pass to Arizona’s Orlando Hudson, loading the bases with two down. However, Rodriguez induced a flyout to right from Philadelphia’s Aaron Rowand, allowing the AL to escape, 5-4.

The AL’s RBI all came on homers, off the bats of Suzuki, Crawford, and Martinez. On the hill, Boston’s Josh Beckett got the win after working the third and fourth innings, scoreless, allowing one hit and getting two strikeouts. Francisco Rodriguez picked up the save. For the NL, Reyes picked up three hits, with Griffey and Soriano garnering two RBI each. On the mound, Chris Young took the loss. Eight hurlers toed the rubber for the AL, while nine pitchers worked for the senior circuit.

Video credit- FOX
Report filed from Maumelle, Ark.