NL All Star 2 at AL All Star 1
First game of the tournament, Yankee Stadium, the favorites, the American League All Star team facing the National League B squad in a Best 4 of 7.
NL Lineup
3B 2008 Chipper Jones
1B 1969 Willie McCovey
LF 1987 Tony Gwynn
RF 1932 Mel Ott
CF 1985 Tim Raines
2B 2008 Chase Utley
SS 1982 Robin Yount
C 2012 Buster Posey
RHP 1915 Grover Cleveland Alexander
AL Lineup
LF 1946 Ted Williams
RF 1923 Babe Ruth
1B 1927 Lou Gehrig
CF 1957 Mickey Mantle
3B 1980 George Brett
2B 1915 Eddie Collins
C 1937 Bill Dickey
SS 1991 Cal Ripken
RHP 1913 Walter Johnson
Top 1st
36 year old Chipper Jones, the oldest position player on this NL squad, leads off against a 25 year old Walter Johnson, the second youngest member of the AL 9 member pitching staff. Johnson's a 7 year big leaguer, he was the MVP in the AL this season, going 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA. With a 12.7 WAR (my WAR metric is used throughout the tournament) Johnson had the best season of any pitcher in the tournament.
Chipper works a walk.
Johnson then gets a 31 year old Willie McCovey on a shallow fly to right center. 1 out.
27 year old Tony Gwynn gets the first hit of the game, a sharp single to right - Chipper attempts to take the extra base -- and is Gunned Down by the AL right fielder, the 28 year old Babe Ruth. 2 out.
Johnson ends the inning, getting the youngest player on the NL roster, 23 year old Mel Ott, to ground to third.
Bottom 1st
Grover Cleveland Alexander is the NL starter, a 28 year old right hander - and he has to face a real gauntlet - Williams-Ruth-Gehrig. Alexander's had five big league seasons, this year he was 31-10 with a 1.22 ERA.
27 year old Ted Williams leads off with a looping single to right.
The Babe, as mentioned, is 28 - he hits a slow roller to short - 26 year old Robin Yount flips to second, that's all, it's a fielders choice that erases the lead runner. 1 out.
Alexander then gets the 24 year old Lou Gehrig to ground to short, Yount makes the backhand play and throws to first - Ruth advances to second. 2 out.
25 year old Mickey Mantle comes to the plate - and hits a high, high infield pop up - 29 year old Chase Utley nestles under it and the inning is over.
Top 2nd
25 year old Tim Raines hits 5th for the NL, and Johnson gives up another leadoff walk. Raines obviously a threat to run here.
Utley is next, its a shallow fly ball to right. 1 out.
Here comes Yount - and he slaps a single to left - Raines aggressively takes the extra base, sliding in ahead of the tag and the NL has runners on the corners with only one out.
There's no DH, so there's a lot of pressure on the 8th place hitters in this tournament - for the NL, it's a 25 year old Buster Posey - and on a 3-2 pitch, and Johnson locks Posey up with his newly developed curve. Two outs.
That leaves Alexander - 2 on, 2 out - and Johnson throws three fastballs right over the heart of the plate and strikes out his opposite number to end the frame.
Bottom 2nd
The AL draws back to back walks to open the 2nd, 27 year old George Brett followed by 28 year old Eddie Collins. And with 2 on and nobody out, the AL is in business.
30 year old Bill Dickey is the 7th place hitter, he rips a line drive -- but right at Utley, Collins safely dives back to the bag to beat the throw to first. One out.
Hitting 8th for the AL is the only right handed bat in the lineup today, Cal Ripken, the 30 year old shortstop. Ripken hits a slow grounder to Utley - flip to Yount for 1 - to first -- Ripken just beats it out, and there are men on the corners, but as was the case in the top of the inning, it's the pitcher coming to the plate with 2 out.
Johnson hits a routine grounder to Utley, flip to Yount and the inning is over.
Top 3rd
Top of the order in a scoreless game. Chipper reaches base again, roping a single to right on the first pitch of the inning.
McCovey has a long, long at bat - but it ends with a tailor made 4-6-3 and there are two away.
Gwynn singled back in the first - but here, he harmless grounds to third - Brett easily onto first and the inning is over.
Bottom 3rd
Back to the top of the order for the AL - Alexander strikes Williams out, the Splendid Splinter chasing a ball outside of the zone, irritated with himself as he walks back to the dugout.
Ruth walks.
Gehrig is now 0-2 when Alexander gets him to chase a high fastball, Pete striking out Williams and Gehrig here in the third.
Full count on Mantle, Ruth's running as the Mick singles to left - the Babe able to slide into third and the AL has runners on the corners with George Brett coming to the plate having walked in his previous appearance.
Brett walks again and with two out, the AL has loaded the bases here in the third. Eddie Collins, who also walked in his first time up, comes to the plate.
And Collins plates the first runs of the game - base hit to left center, Ruth will score -- Mantle will score from second and the AL goes up 2-0. Runners still on the corners with 2 away. This Collins/Alexander matchup is a battle of exact contemporaries as the 1915 versions of both men are facing off here. This season was Collins' first with the White Sox after 9 in Philadelphia, not with Alexander's Phils, but with the rival Athletics. Collins led all MLB with 119 walks this season.
Dickey's 0-1, but he draws a walk and the AL again loads the bases, there's action in the NL pen now, Ripken coming to the plate.
Alexander gets him to ground to short - and the inning ends.
Top 4th
Johnson now staked to a 2-0 lead, Ott's 0-1 and now he's 0-2, route fly to center.
Raines walked in his first appearance, here, he hits a ground ball to center and there are 2 away.
Utley's 0-1 -- and now he's 0-2, looping liner to short. 3 up. 3 down.
Bottom 4th
Sure feels like Alexander's reached the end, Walter Johnson leads off with a Texas leaguer to left.
Williams strikes out again - his frustration noticeable.
Ruth grounds between 1st and 2nd - nice play by McCovey, he throws to second to get Johnson and there are 2 away.
Gehrig foul ball - near the dugout -- Chipper leans over the railing to make the catch and the inning is over.
Top 5
Yount singled in his first at bat, here, he grounds to short.
Posey's 0-1, he singles to left center. Tying run comes to the plate in what is probably a sacrifice spot given that it's Alexander (really need a pinch hitter here).
Alexander does attempt to bunt - but Gehrig has the first real web gem of the tournament - laying out in a full dive to make the catch and there's 2 away.
Chipper's reached in both appearances - but Johnson gets him here, harmless pop up on the infield, Gehrig takes it and the inning ends.
Bottom 5
Mantle's 1-2, he harmlessly pops up, Yount back into the outfield to snag it.
Brett's walked both times, but not here, Alexander has regained his equilibrium and gets a line out to third.
Collins drove in the only two runs of the day in his last at bat, he lines out to first here and its the first 1-2-3 for Pete.
Top 6
McCovey's 0-2 with a double play, but he bombs a ball that bounces over the wall in right for a leadoff ground rule double, it's the first extra base hit of the tournament.
Gwynn's 1-2, he hits the ball to the right side, 4-3 putout with McCovey now standing on third.
Ott's 0-2 and now 0-3 with a shallow fly ball to right - McCovey holding at third and now there are 2 out.
Raines is 0-1 with a walk - he lines a ball into the left field corner - McCovey scores - Raines easily into second with a double and the NL has cut the lead in half. 2-1. Raines is 25, in his 7th big league season, his 151 OPS+ would turn out to be the highest of what would be a 23 year big league career.
Utley comes to the plate, he's 0-2, 2 out, tying run in scoring position in the position of the very speedy Raines.
And Johnson walks him - Johnson pitched really carefully in that spot, it does set up the force at third, however, the potential go ahead run is now on base. 2 on, 2 out, Robin Yount is 1-2 and he comes to the plate.
Yount rips a line drive -- but it's right at George Brett. And the inning ends - the NL cuts it in half, we go to the bottom of the 6th, 2-1 AL.
Bottom 6
Bottom of the order for the AL, Dickey's 0-1 with a walk and he grounds out to first on the first pitch.
Ripken's 0-2 and now 0-3, grounds to short.
Alexander easily sets Johnson down on 3 pitches - and suddenly, it appears the momentum has shifted, Pete's put down 9 straight American Leaguers and it's the top of the 7th.
Top 7
Posey is 1-2 - he leads off the 7th with a base hit to left, it's a 2 hit day for Posey off of Johnson - and now LaRussa does go to the bench - it's Sammy Sosa, pinch hitting for Alexander.
Long at bat -- Johnson strikes Sosa out on the 11th pitch. Feels like a big spot.
Chipper's 1-2 with a walk, he hits a shallow fly ball that Mantle easily snares. 2 out.
McCovey's 1-3, doubling in his last at bat - Johnson gets him with a routine grounder to short to end the inning.
Bottom 7
33 year old Max Scherzer is the new NL pitcher, also right handed. AL with only 4 hits despite their 2-1 lead. Scherzer's the oldest pitcher on the NL staff, he finished second in the NL Cy Young race this year, going 18-7 with a 2.53 ERA.
Top of the AL order, Williams singles again, he's now 2-4; the Babe walks again, he's 0-2 but has walked twice. And then Gehrig gets his first hit of the day, singling to center - that's gonna plate Williams and the AL lead once again is two runs 3-1. Gehrig was AL MVP this season, his 220 OPS+ would wind up the top mark of his career.
Mantle walks, he's 1-3, reaching base the second time here, and with nobody out, the bases are loaded for George Brett.
AND GEORGE BRETT HITS A GRAND SLAM HOME RUN TO LEFT!!! 7-1
George Brett has reached base 3 times, two bases on balls - and now a huge home run to left field. Brett was the AL MVP this season, he flirted with .400, finishing at .390, also leading all MLB in OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+.
Max Scherzer has come on for the NL and just gotten blown apart by this American League squad, it's 7-1 and sure looks like it is done.
Scherzer probably should get pulled, but LaRussa decides he's staying out there - Eddie Collins is 1-2 with a walk and a couple of RBI, he doubles over Raines's head in center. Still nobody out.
Dickey is hitless - but he smacks one -- deep, deep to right field - caught at the base of the wall by Ott, easy tag up for Collins.
Ripken strikes out. 2 away. McCarthy lets Johnson hit - easy fly out to left to end the inning.
But the AL scores 5, George Brett's grand slam being the big, big blow
Top 8
Johnson now has a 6 run lead.
Gwynn grounds to second.
Ott strikes out.
Raines singles to right, he's now reached 3 times.
Utley flies to right. AL 3 outs from taking game 1.
Bottom 8
Williams flies to right.
Ruth walks - thats 3 walks for the Babe.
LOU GEHRIG HITS A 2 RUN HOME RUN TO RIGHT! Max Scherzer has just gotten blown up by the American League - Gehrig homers, tacking on 2 more and the lead has bulged to 9-1.
That's it, too late, but that's it for Scherzer, another right hander, 30 year old Jacob DeGrom comes on for the NL. DeGrom is the NL Cy Young winner, 10-9, 1.70.
Mantle singles.
Brett singles - George Brett reaches base four times, Mantle to 3rd.
Collins grounds to short --- Yount has no play at the plate and looks for the double play, Brett is erased by Collins beats it out - the Mick scores and now it is 10-1.
Dickey grounds out and the inning ends.
Top 9
Walter Johnson stays on, looking for the complete game.
Yount singles.
Posey grounds into the 4-6-3 and the NL is down to their final out - Paul Goldschmidt is 27, he comes on as the pinch hitter and flies to left to end the game.
American League I 10 National League II 1
Easy game 1 win for the AL:
Williams - 2-5, run scored
Ruth - 0-2, 3 walks, 3 runs scored.
Gehrig - 2-5, HR, 3RBI, 2 runs scored
Mantle - 2-4, walk, 3 runs scored
Brett - 2-3, HR, 2 walks, 4 RBI and a run scored
Collins - 2-4, double, walk, 3 RBI
Dickey - 0-4, walk
Ripken - 0-4
Johnson - 1-4
Jones 1-3, walk
McCovey 1-4, double, run scored
Gwynn 1-4,
Ott, 0-4
Raines 2-3, double, walk, RBI
Utley 0-3, walk
Yount 2-4,
Posey 2-4
Alexander 0-2
Sosa 0-1
Goldschmidt 0-1
WP Johnson, 9 IP 9 hits, 3 walks, 4 Ks, 1 earned
LP Alexander, 6 IP 4 hits, 5 walks, 4 Ks, 2 earned
Scherzer 1.1 IP, 7 earned
DeGrom .2 IP, 1 earned
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