A recap of the midsummer classic

2019 MLB All-Star Game Recap: AL wins 4-3

Astros Michael Brantley
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 Astros beat the Dodgers, 6-4. Composite Getty Image.

Yainer Diaz homered, Josh Hader got the last four outs for his major league-leading 25th save, and the Houston Astros spoiled Shohei Ohtani's 31st birthday, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Saturday.

Ohtani made his fourth mound start of the season, pitching two scoreless innings as he continues to work his way back from elbow surgery. He struck out the side in the second.

Justin Wrobleski (4-3) relieved Ohtani to start the third, and that's when the Dodgers' problems started. Zack Short hit a two-run double as Houston scored four times in the inning. Diaz went deep leading off the fourth, his 11th of the season.

Mookie Betts hit his 11th homer for the Dodgers in the first, and Miguel Rojas' two-run shot in the fourth pulled LA within 5-4.

Jose Altuve led off the seventh with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly.

Hader entered with two on and two out in the eighth and struck out pinch-hitter Esteury Ruiz. In the ninth, he allowed a leadoff single to Ohtani but retired Betts, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman to end it.

Framber Valdez (10-4) struck out seven and allowed four runs in six innings.

Key moment

The Dodgers sent Michael Conforto to the plate to pinch-hit with two out in the eighth, and the Astros brought in Hader. Manager Dave Roberts replaced Conforto with Ruiz, who fanned on Hader's slider.

Key stat

The Astros have scored 24 runs in the first two games of the series. On Friday night, they handed the Dodgers their worst loss in the history of Dodger Stadium, 18-1.

Up next

Astros RHP Ryan Gusto (5-3, 4.90 ERA) will face the Dodgers' Emmet Sheehan (0-0, 2.25) for Sunday’s series finale.

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