PHOENIX – Should the Milwaukee Brewers overcome their maddening inconsistency and advance to the playoffs, chances are Prince Fielder will be a major factor.
Should the Brewers make it all the way to the World Series, again, they'll have to thank Fielder.
His three-run home run – the first by a Brewers player in an All-Star Game – gave the National League a lead it would never relinquish in a 5-1 victory Tuesday over the American League in front of a sold-out crowd at Chase Field.
It also gave the National League home-field advantage in the playoffs, something that will come in handy if the Brewers live up to expectations and advance to the Fall Classic.
"It's great because we play great at home," Fielder said. "And if we are fortunate enough to get into the World Series, obviously it's going to help us a ton."
The World Series, of course, is a long way off. In the meantime, Fielder just wanted to enjoy the moment and he did just that, accepting the game's Most Valuable Player for his performance Tuesday.
After Carlos Beltran and Matt Kemp opened the fourth with back-to-back singles, Fielder connected on a 2-2 cutter off Texas left-hander C.J. Wilson, erasing the American League's 1-0 lead and setting the stage for the NL's second consecutive victory.
"(It was a) great at-bat, two strikes, and we are down one run, and you get the Most Valuable Player, which, so it's nice to hear the cheers for him," said NL manager Bruce Bochy.
Fielder's home run silenced the boos that greeted his every move in Phoenix. He was Public Enemy No. 1 here after leaving Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton off the National League's Home Run Derby squad.
The fans booed Fielder again Tuesday during batting practice. Again during the introductions and during his first at-bat. The jeers turned quickly to cheers, though, as Wilson's pitch sailed over the fence.
All along, Fielder wasn't bothered by the reception and took it in stride.
"(My family) didn't like it too much, but we didn't dwell on it," Fielder said. "I didn't take it too personal, because like I said, I mean, I probably would have booed myself, too, if I was an Arizona fan."
The Brewers' two available representatives (Ryan Braun was in Phoenix, but didn't play due to injury) were responsible for four of the NL's five runs. Rickie Weeks went 0-for-2 in his first All-Star Game, reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing second base in the fifth inning. He scored, making it a 4-1 game, on Andre Ethier's single.
"That's why he's such an exciting player," Bochy said. "He can beat you with the long ball. He can beat you with speed. These types of players are special, especially a lead-off hitter ... they can get on base and find a way to score a run for you."
Moving forward, both Weeks and Fielder will try to maintain the level of success that landed them in the All-Star Game in the first place. The Brewers open the second half Thursday in Colorado, the first stop on a three-city, 11-game road trip that could go a long way in determining their autumn fate.
Fielder isn't worrying about that now, though.
"I think that will go through my mind later a little more I think, but right now I'm enjoying the victory with the kids and seeing them here," Fielder said. "As far as the home-field advantage, So it's – yeah, it's awesome. We won the MVP and we get to have home-field advantage so it was pretty cool."
NOTES: Since 1969 (when the franchise was still the Seattle Pilots), Brewers batters are 9-for-74 (.121) with five walks, five RBI, a home run, a double and three runs scored ... Fielder is the first Brewers player to be named MVP of the All-Star Game ... He's the sixth player to win a Home Run Derby title and the MVP award ... The NL has allowed just two runs on 12 hits in its last 18 innings of All-Star competition ... A total of 60 players were used Tuesday, the most ever in a nine-inning game ... The 15 combined hits came from 15 different players ... the 2012 All-Star Game will be played July 12 at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.
