The American League shuts out the National League 4-0 in the 96th MLB All-Star Game
Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman, 38 and American right-hander Bryan Baker, 31, recorded the final outs in the ninth inning to cap off an outstanding pitching performance.
Image courtesy of MLB
Starter Dylan Cease struck out three batters in the first inning to set the tone for a dominant performance by the American League pitching staff, which defeated the National League 4-0 in the 96th MLB All-Star Game Major League Baseball held on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman, 38 and American right-hander Bryan Baker, 31, recorded the final outs in the ninth inning to cap off an outstanding pitching performance.
"As the game went on, the pitching was absolutely dominant," said American League outfielder Cody Bellinger, who was named the All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player.
In the first All-Star Game shutout since 2013, the 11 pitchers used by the American League held the National League to three hits, walked two batters and struck out 15.
The American League's 11th victory
With this result, the American League secured its 11th victory in the last 13 editions of the midseason classic and extended its all-time lead to 49 wins to 45, with two ties.
The American League offense took the lead in the first inning against the National League's starting pitcher, Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez. Yordan Álvarez led off with a single, Shea Langeliers and Bobby Witt Jr. drew walks, and Bellinger hit a two-run single to center field. Later, Ben Rice, Bellinger's teammate on the New York Yankees, drove in another run with a single.
Cuban Miguel Vargas, the 26-year-old third baseman for the Chicago White Sox, hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to seal the final score. Vargas, one of 36 players making their All-Star Game debut, sent the ball into the second deck over the left-field wall.
Meanwhile, Junior Caminero, the American League third baseman and Tampa Bay native, left the game in the third inning after being hit on the top of his left hand by a pitch from National League pitcher Riley O'Brien. X-rays taken at the stadium ruled out a fracture.
Cease opened the game with three strikeouts, while Parker Messick and Michael Wacha held the National League hitless through the first three innings, racking up six strikeouts before Juan Soto singled in the fourth.
Judge and Ohtani: The big absentees
Among the most notable absences were Japanese star Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who did not participate due to injuries.
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