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AL bests NL 4-3 to win 2019 All-Star Game

By Bill BaerJul 9, 2019, 11:05 PM EDT
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For the first time since 2014, an American League team hosted the All-Star Game. This time, it was at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, home of the Indians. For a seventh consecutive year, the American League emerged victorious, defeating the National League 4-3.

After the players were introduced on the field, the ballpark went silent in memory of Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died last week at the age of 27. In his honor, All-Star teammates Mike Trout and Tommy La Stella wore Skaggs’ No. 45. Players donned “45” patches on their uniforms, but they had trouble staying attached.

CC Sabathia, who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Indians and is retiring after this season, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Sandy Alomar, Jr.

Dodger pitching yielded the first two runs to the AL. Clayton Kershaw allowed a run in the second inning on a one-out single by Alex Bregman followed by a two-out RBI double to Michael Brantley. Walker Buehler allowed the next run in the fifth when Gary Sánchez led off with a double. Sánchez moved to third base on a grounder, then scored on an infield single by Jorge Polanco.

Before the top of the fifth inning, the players, the broadcasters, and the crowd stood up with their Stand Up To Cancer signs. Many of the signs mentioned Carlos “Cookie” Carrasco, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Carrasco held his own sign, which said, “I stand.” His All-Star teammates Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana, and Carlos Santana, as well as manager Terry Francona hugged him as he made his way back into the dugout.

Hometown hero Shane Bieber had a great moment after taking the mound for the top of the fifth. He struck out the side, becoming the first Indians player to do so in the All-Star Game.

The NL finally got on the board in the top of the sixth when Charlie Blackmon crushed a Liam Hendriks fastball out to center field for a two-out solo homer, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The AL would get that run back plus one in the bottom of the seventh against Brandon Woodruff. Matt Chapman drew a leadoff walk, then advanced to third base on a James McCann single and scored when Xander Bogaerts grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. After lefty Will Smith replaced Woodruff, Joey Gallo swung at the first pitch, driving a line drive solo home run out to right field to push the AL’s lead to 4-1.

Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso played a key role in the NL’s eighth-inning rally against the Indians’ Brad Hand. Yasmani Grandal led off with a walk and moved to second on a David Dahl single. Paul DeJong drew a one-out walk to load the bases. Hand was able to strike out Blackmon, but Alonso ripped a line drive past Gleyber Torres, plating two runs.

The NL couldn’t figure out Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning. J.T. Realmuto and Max Muncy each struck out swinging. As Grandal came to the plate for the final at-bat, Sabathia came out to the mound to “visit” Chapman. As Sabathia walked back to the dugout, he received a standing ovation from the Cleveland crowd. When play resumed, Chapman fanned Grandal, striking out the side and ending the game in a 4-3 victory for the American League.

Bieber won All-Star Game MVP. As mentioned, he struck out the side in his only inning of work. Bieber was added to the AL All-Star roster only four days ago.

Video: Andrew McCutchen’s wife throws him his own All-Star party at home

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By Bill BaerJul 9, 2019, 11:39 PM EDT
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Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen was in the midst of a solid season in the first year of his three-year, $75 million contract. He was hitting .256/.378/.457 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in his first 59 games. Sadly, he suffered a torn ACL, ending his season on June 3 in San Diego.

For as much coverage as baseball players get, we don’t often talk about how tough these kinds of injuries can be to deal with. McCutchen got a little bit into that when he shared a video on Instagram. His wife Maria threw him a surprise All-Star party, but not just any party. Take it away, Andrew:

For those who can’t watch the video, McCutchen says:

Normal day at the McCutchen household. Well, at least that’s what I thought. I come home with my family from going to the family function today. My wife tells me to proceed down to the basement. So I do that. And this is what I see.

Hobblin’ down the steps, one foot at a time. I look up. Hold — hold up. [There are big standing letters spelling CUTCH emblazoned with stars in front of a red carpet.]

It gets better. That’s a red carpet. Then we have some family and friends in this area standing there. And I’m like, “Tell me that we having an All-Star party? No.” Then we go over here to the left. [He shows National League All-Star shirts with McCutchen’s name and number on the back and an All-Star hat.]

Balloons on deck. [Some look like baseballs.] I don’t even know how they did that. Then there’s a whole lot of food and snacks and a big ol’ baseball balloon right there. Sometimes that’s how a baseball look when you hot.

Then, they throw this up. [A “You’re Our All-Star” banner above the basement bar.]

This is one of the coolest things. Bop! [A picture, surrounded by bright lights, of McCutchen holding his son at his introductory press conference after signing with the Phillies. Another picture shows McCutchen posing in a Phillies uniform.] The lights on, man. Got me with my son, chillin’ at the press conference over here. Bop! The lights on ’em. It’s lit! Travis Scott voice.

Man, this was on the cake topper. I was seein’ photos of that later. [The cake toppers include him holding his son, both in Phillies gear, a scoreboard showing the NL winning, and a Phillies hat.] Look at that man, I was on the top of a cake. That was me and my son. They had the score on there — we won. Then — look, we got the hat.

I know I’m biased, I know I am. But I honestly feel like I got the coolest wife in the entire world. That’s honestly how I feel. Because she went and took the time out of her life to do something like this for me. And it means a lot. It means so much because you work so hard, and to have an injury like this to where it gets wiped away, all your work. Everything you prepared for, the year is just wiped away. And for her to do this for me, it means the world to me, honestly. It went from a regular day at the McCutchen household to one of the coolest days. One of the coolest days, man. Look at the McCutchen, bro! [Camera pans to the big letters in the back.] It’s over there! It’s “CUTCH!”

My wife said since my All-Star chances got wiped away she thought that she should bring the All-Star Game to me. I got the best wife in the world.

That is a really cool, heartwarming moment for McCutchen. He and his wife are officially #relationshipgoals.