ST. LOUIS -- Strip away the pomp, pageantry, Sheryl Crow's national anthem, the ceremonial fly-over and the presidential first pitch, well, the 80th All-Star Game played out like just another summer rerun.
The American League beat the National League, 4-3, in a crisp, well-pitched and quick (2 hours, 31 minutes) exhibition played before a packed house Tuesday night at Busch Stadium that included President Obama.
The American League has won seven Midsummer Classics in a row and 12 in 13 years -- the lone exception being the 2002 tie at Miller Park.
Though the AL will enjoy home-field advantage in the World Series as a result of the verdict, nobody in the Cardinals' well-appointed clubhouse seemed overly distraught.
The Brewers participants seemed to enjoy themselves immensely.
"It was a great experience," said Ryan Braun started the game in right field, moved to left and went 0 for 2.
First baseman Prince Fielder entered as a pinch-hitter in the second inning and knocked in a run with a ground-rule double to left off American League starter Roy Halladay.
Closer Trevor Hoffman entered in the sixth inning gave up a one-out single to Josh Hamilton and then erased him by getting Michael Young to bounce into a double play. Hoffman needed just five pitches to retire the side, joining eight other pitchers who recorded three outs with fewer than 10 pitches.
After Tampa Bay outfielder (and game MVP) Carl Crawford robbed Brad Hawpe of a homer with an over-the-wall catch in the seventh, a pair of relatively unheralded first-time all-stars turned the tide in the eighth inning.
Detroit's Curtis Granderson tripled to left, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Baltimore's Adam Jones.
The National League's last, best chance came in the eighth. With two runners on base and two out, Minnesota's Joe Nathan struck out Phillies first baseman and St. Louis native Ryan Howard to end the threat.
Mariano Rivera closed out the game in the ninth, capping seven shutout innings by American League relievers, who allowed just two of the final 24 NL batters to reach.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
