A recap of the midsummer classic
2019 MLB All-Star Game Recap: AL wins 4-3
Jul 9, 2019, 10:03 pm
Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images
The 2019 MLB All-Star game was loaded with Astros, including starters Alex Bregman, George Springer, Michael Brantley, and starting pitcher Justin Verlander. Here is how they, along with the rest of the American League team, did against the National League squad.
Verlander gets the nod and tosses a great inning
Justin Verlander received the honor of starting the All-Star game, and with the game in Cleveland, was up on the mound in the top of the first. He was impressive in the first, getting a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. He would get just the one inning as the AL went to Masahiro Tanaka in the second.
Astros provide the early offense
George Springer recorded the first hit of the night, leading off the bottom of the first with a single. He would move to second then third on a couple of groundouts but would be left stranded there to end the inning. Tanaka worked around a two-out single in the top of the second to keep the game scoreless.
Alex Bregman gave the American League their second hit by lasering a ball down the third base line and giving the sure-gloved Nolan Arenado too much handle, earning a one-out single. He would come around to score the first run of the night after Michael Brantley shot a ball into the left-center gap off of Clayton Kershaw, getting Bregman home from first on an RBI-double.
Offenses heat up in the middle innings
The 1-0 lead held over the next few innings as the All-Star pitchers made it through the opposing lineups with just a few hits along the way. That is until the bottom of the fifth when the AL would get a leadoff double by Gary Sanchez of the Yankees who moved to third on a groundball then scored on an RBI-single by Jorge Polanco of the Twins to extend the lead to 2-0.
The National League finally got on the board themselves in the top of the next inning, getting a two-out solo home run from Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies to trim the lead to 2-1. The AL would answer back in the bottom of the seventh, putting the lead back at two runs after Matt Chapman of the A's worked a leadoff walk, moved to third on a single by James McCann of the White Sox, then scored on a double play, making it a 3-1 lead.
Joey Gallo of the Rangers came in as a pinch-hitter next, and hit the second home run of the night with a solo home run on the first pitch he saw, extending the lead further to 4-1.
AL holds on to win
The NL had their best inning of offense in the top of the eighth, loading the bases against Brad Hand of the Indians to set up a two-RBI single for Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso of the Mets, cutting the lead to one run at 4-3.
Hand would get out of the inning with the one-run lead, then Aroldis Chapman, closer for the Yankees, came in for the top of the ninth. He would get through the inning scoreless, giving the AL their seventh straight All-Star game win.
Final Score: American League All-Stars 4, National League All-Stars 3.
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The phrase most associated with the late former Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland Raiders’ owner Al Davis was “Just win baby.” One has to think Al would strongly approve of the Houston Astros. Going to the fifth inning Sunday against the Mariners the Astros were facing a 3-0 deficit and staring at the prospect of being swept out of Seattle and having their American League West division lead slashed to just two games. Now after roaring from behind with 11 unanswered runs to take the series finale in the Emerald City, and then sweeping three games from the Diamondbacks in Phoenix, the Astros stand six games up with 60 games to go. So, if the Astros play just .500 ball the rest of the way (which would have them finish with 90 victories), the Mariners have to play .600 ball to catch them. If somehow the Astros are to maintain their season long win pace to the finish line they’d close with 95 wins, and the race is already over unless someone thinks the M’s are poised to uncork a finishing kick of 41-19 or better. It’s quite a pleasing perch from which the Astros survey the standings. Coupled with the freefalling Detroit Tigers having dropped nine of their last ten games, the Astros amazingly start this homestand sporting the best record in the entire American League. On the homestand they follow four games against the team with the second-worst record in the American League (Athletics) with three versus the team with the second-worst record in the National League (Nationals). I know, I know. There is fear of the Astros playing down to the competition, but that is not the way to look at it. A bad Major League team can beat a good team in a series at any time. If it happens it happens, but it wouldn’t mean it happened only because the Astros didn’t take their opponent seriously. This isn’t the NBA.
Trade deadline looming
Of course, It hasn’t been all good news with Isaac Paredes badly injuring a hamstring Sunday. Paredes could be back in three weeks (doubtful), he could miss the rest of the season. GET WELL SOON JEREMY PENA! Lance McCullers’s latest Injured List stint could be considered addition by subtraction for the Astros’ starting rotation. Whether impacted by his blister issue, Lance was lousy in four of his last five starts. So, one week from the trade deadline, if general manager Dana Brown has the ammo to get one deal done, where does he make the upgrade? The left-handed hitter everyone knows the Astros can use regardless of Yordan Alvarez’s status is a natural priority. With the Astros’ weak farm system it would seem difficult for Brown to put forth the winning offer for the top bats that could be in play. That probably rings even truer now, since if he wasn’t already untouchable, Brice Matthews may have cemented untouchable status by darn near winning the first two games of the Diamondbacks series by himself. Matthews is going to struggle mightily to hit for a good average if he can’t make notable improvement in the contact department, but the power is obvious, as is the athleticism in the field. The 23-year-old Matthews and 22-year-old Cam Smith (though presently mired in a three for 36 slump) are the clear (and right now only) two young shining beacons for the lineup’s future.
You can't have enough pitching
While Brandon Walter has been a revelation, a starting pitcher would make sense unless the decision is to hope Spencer Arrighetti and/or Cristian Javier can contribute meaningfully upon return to the big leagues, likely sometime next month. Going after a reliever or two may make more sense in terms of availability and transaction cost. Overall the Astros’ bullpen has been excellent, but Bryan Abreu is the only trustworthy right-handed option for Joe Espada. Back to Walter. Barely two months ago no way Walter himself would have believed he’d be where he is now. Nine starts since being summoned basically out of desperation, Walter has a 3.35 earned run average, and a stunning 13 to one strikeout-to-walk ratio with his 52 strikeouts against a measly four walks allowed in 53 2/3 innings. Walter has pitched fabulously in seven of his nine starts. He only has two wins, but that’s because in five of the six Walter starts the Astros didn’t win the game they failed to score more than two runs. Walter turns 29 years old in September. His only prior big league experience was 23 innings in relief with a 6.26 ERA for the Red Sox two years ago. The Bosox released him last August, the Astros signed him basically as minor league depth. Look at him (and the Astros) now.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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