MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-STAR GAME

San Francisco treat

Giants provide big punch in rout

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout hit a single in his only at-bat in the sixth inning of the American League’s 8-0 loss to the National League on Tuesday at the All-Star Game in Kansas City, Mo.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout hit a single in his only at-bat in the sixth inning of the American League’s 8-0 loss to the National League on Tuesday at the All-Star Game in Kansas City, Mo.

— Pablo Sandoval and Melky Cabrera turned the All-Star Game into a Giants blowout.

Flashing their bright orange spikes and booming bats, the San Francisco sluggers keyed a five-run blitz against Justin Verlander in the first inning that sent the National League to an 8-0 romp over the American League on Tuesday night.

Cabrera homered and won the MVP award, and Giants teammate Matt Cain started a strong pitching performance for the NL in its most-lopsided All-Star victory. Cain, Stephen Strasburg, R.A. Dickey, Aroldis Chapman and the rest of the staff pitched a six-hitter.

“San Francisco Giants show,” Matt Kemp of the rival Los Angeles Dodgers said during the game.

Ryan Braun, an All-Star again after his drug suspension was overturned last winter, doubled, tripled and made a fine catch in the outfield to help give the NL its first three-game winning streak in two decades.

Chipper Jones, 40, singled in his final All-Star at-bat as the NL, under retired manager Tony La Russa, once again claimed home-field advantage in the World Series.

Teen sensation Bryce Harper had a shaky All-Star debut. Fellow rookie Mike Trout, only 20, showed off his skills.

The game was pretty much decided a few moments after it started.

Sandoval hit the first basesloaded triple in All-Star history off Verlander, who couldn’t control his 100 mph fastball. Cabrera singled and scored the first run, then hit a two-run home run against Matt Harrison in a three-run fourth.

“I don’t get many triples,” said the slow-footed Sandoval, known as Kung Fu Panda. “We had some fun with that in the dugout.”

Cabrera was joined by his mom as he received his award.

“I was surprised for me, the MVP, but thank you, the fans,” he said.

San Francisco fans, who made a late voting push to elect Sandoval and Cabrera to starting spots, might really appreciate the victory come October. The Giants are a half-game behind the first-place Dodgers in the NL West.

Rafael Furcal also hit a triple, making the NL the first league with three in an All-Star Game.

As the All-Stars returned to Kansas City for the first time since 1973, La Russa bid a fond farewell to the national stage in the city where he played for his first major league team.

Having retired after managing St. Louis to last year’s World Series title, La Russa became just the fourth inactive manager to manage an All-Star team and improved to 4-2.

“Just lucky, like I’ve been 30 years,” La Russa said.

The NL boosted its advantage to 43-38-2 and won for just the third time in the 10 years the All-Star Game has been used to determine home-field advantage in the World Series. La Russa’s Cardinals benefited from last year’s NL All-Star victory, with St. Louis winning Games 6 and 7 at home against Ron Washington’s Texas Rangers.

“It’s very disappointing, because we’re competitors and we want to win,” said Washington, who lost for the second consecutive year. “They came out. They swung the bats. Once they got the lead, started bringing those arms in their hand, and they got the job done.”

Jones, retiring at the end of the season, also had one last All-Star moment, pinch hitting in the sixth and singling just past second baseman Ian Kinsler and into right field. Jones chuckled as the ball rolled through.

“Whether you’re 19 or 40, we are all equals here,” Jones said during his pregame speech to the NL.

Harper, at 19 the youngest position player in All-Star history, had a shaky start when he entered in the fifth. The heralded rookie, wearing shiny gold shoes, didn’t flash a Gold Glove and lost Mike Napoli’s routine fly to left in the lights, allowing it to drop behind him for a single. He then caught Kinsler’s basesloaded fly ball to end the inning, earning cheers from the crowd of 40,933 at Kauffman Stadium, spruced up by a $250 million renovation that was completed three years ago.

Harper did draw a walk and tagged up on a long fly, but later got himself hung up in a rundown and tagged out.

Trout, among a record five All-Star rookies, had a nice showing against two very different pitchers. The Los Angeles Angels outfielder singled and stole a base against Dickey’s knuckleball, then drew a walk against Chapman and his 101 mph fastball.

“I’m going to remember this the rest of my life,” Trout said.

Cain pitched the 22nd perfect game in big league history last month. He didn’t have to be perfect in this one, allowing one hit in two innings for the victory.

“For those guys to go out and score five runs in the first inning was definitely a little more relaxing for me,” he said. “But I still tried to stay focused.”

Cain was followed by 10 relievers, with Jonathan Papelbon getting the last out with a runner on third base.

Verlander had a puzzling outing. In games that count, he hasn’t allowed five runs in an inning since April 2010, according to STATS LLC. He became the first All-Star to give up five since Houston’s Roger Clemens in front of his hometown fans in 2004.

“It was pretty difficult for me to get the ball down today,” said Verlander, who admitted he approached this differently than a regular-season start.

In a 35-pitch inning, he threw five pitches clocked at 100 mph and another at 101.

“But I had fun,” he said. “That’s why I don’t try to throw 100 in the first inning. But this is for the fans. It doesn’t usually work out too well for me.”

A crowd clad in red, white and blue T-shirts cheered during pregame introductions for hometown star Billy Butler, who dropped his cap when he tried to wave it. Fans booed the New York Yankees’ Robinson Cano, who angered local fans when he bypassed Butler for Monday night’s All-Star Home Run Derby.

All-Star Game blowouts

The largest margins of victory in All-Star game history: 1946 American 12, National 0 1983 American 13, National 3 2012 National 8, American 0 1992 American 13, National 6 1969 National 9, American 3 1944 National 7, American 1 1973 National 7, American 1 1976 National 7, American 1 1960 National 6, American 0 1993 American 9, National 3 1996 National 6, American 0

All-Star Game results

2012 National, 8-0 2011 National, 5-1 2010 National, 3-1 2009 American, 4-3 2008 American, 4-3, 15 innings 2007 American, 5-4 2006 American, 3-2 2005 American, 7-5 2004 American, 9-4 2003 American, 7-6 2002 Tied 7-7, 11 innings 2001 American, 4-1 2000 American, 6-3 1999 American, 4-1 1998 American, 13-8 1997 American, 3-1 1996 National, 6-0 1995 National, 3-2 1994 National, 8-7, 10 innings 1993 American, 9-3 1992 American, 13-6 1991 American, 4-2 1990 American, 2-0 1989 American, 5-3 1988 American, 2-1 1987 National, 2-0, 13 innings 1986 American, 3-2 1985 National, 6-1 1984 National, 3-1 1983 American, 13-3 1982 National, 4-1 1981 National, 5-4 1980 National, 4-2 1979 National, 7-6 1978 National, 7-3 1977 National, 7-5 1976 National, 7-1 1975 National, 6-3 1974 National, 7-2 1973 National, 7-1 1972 National, 4-3, 10 innings 1971 American, 6-4 1970 National, 5-4, 12 innings 1969 National, 9-3 1968 National, 1-0 1967 National, 2-1, 15 innings 1966 National, 2-1, 10 innings 1965 National, 6-5 1964 National, 7-4 1963 National, 5-3 1962 National, 3-1 1962 American, 9-4 1961 Tied 1-1, 9 innings, rain 1961 National, 5-4, 10 innings 1960 National, 5-3 1960 National, 6-0 1959 National, 5-4 1959 American, 5-3 1958 American, 4-3 1957 American, 6-5

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/11/2012

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