AL STARS SHINE

Cleveland’s Shane Bieber is named MVP in Midsummer Classic

CLEVELAND — Justin Verlander, Shane Bieber and the American League pitchers plugged power back into the mound.

A day after an awesome Home Run Derby got baseball buzzing even more about monster shots, only a couple balls flew out of Progressive Field at the All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

Instead, Verlander blazed 97 mph heat from the start, Bieber struck out the side and the AL staff combined to fan 16, topping a loaded NL lineup 4-3 for its seventh straight win.

Albuquerque’s Alex Bregman started at third base for the AL and went 1-for-2 and scored a run.

With fans hoping to see a replay of Monday’s jaw-dropping aerial show when 312 homers cleared the walls, the diamond became a pitchers’ paradise — at least until the late innings.

Derby champ Pete Alonso of the Mets grounded a two-out, two-run single past Gleyber Torres in the eighth to close the NL’s gap. After a double steal put runners at second and third against Cleveland reliever Brad Hand, White Sox catcher James McCann made a tumbling catch on Mike Moustakas’ twisting foul pop to end the inning.

Aroldis Chapman threw a perfect ninth to give the AL its 19th win 22 games, with a tie stuck in there. Chapman got a little encouragement with two outs — Yankees teammate CC Sabathia, honored this week for his contributions on and off the field, strolled to the mound to talk to the flamethrower.

Chapman then struck out Yasmani Grandal for a save, giving the AL an overall 45-43-2 lead in the Midsum

mer Classic.

No need, either, for the experimental rule that was set to go effect: If the game went into extras, each team would start the 10th inning with an automatic runner on second base.

Major League Baseball is on a recordshattering pace for homers this season, but no one came close to clearing the walls until Charlie Blackmon connected in the NL sixth. Texas’ Joey Gallo countered with a solo drive in the seventh.

Michael Brantley had an early RBI double off losing pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Jorge Polanco drove in a run with an infield single and another scored on a double-play grounder.

Winning pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, Lucas Giolito and Shane Greene did their parts to protect the lead with scoreless innings.

Bieber earned the MVP award in front of his home fans, striking out Willson Contreras, Ketel Marte and Ronald Acuna Jr. in the fifth.

JOHN MINCHILLO/ASSOCIATED PRESS Indians pitcher Shane Bieber reacts after striking out the National League’s Ronald Acuna Jr. to end the top of the fifth inning in Tuesday’s All-Star game. Bieber struck out the side and was named the game’s MVP.

TONY DEJAK/ASSOCIATED PRESS Albuquerque’s Alex Bregman (2) races home in the second inning to score for the American League. Catcher Willson Contreras of the NL awaits the throw.

TONY DEJAK/ASSOCIATED PRESS Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies (19) launches a home run in the sixth inning for the National League. His blast shaved the AL’s lead in the game to 2-1.