All-Stars shine in Cincinnati
Angels outfielder sets tone with leadoff homer in AL’s victory
The All-Star Game returned to Cincinnati for the first time since 1988, and 43,656 packed Great American Ball Park to see Pete Rose honored pregame and the AL pull out a 6-3 win.
Mike Trout enjoyed winning the Most Valuable Player Award in last year’s All-Star Game so much that he did it again this year.
The Los Angeles Angels center fielder led off the game with a home run and scored two runs to spark the American League to a 6-3 victory against the National League on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.
Trout became the first player to win back-to-back All-Star MVPs since the game began in 1933 and led the AL to its third consecutive victory. The win assured the AL pennant winner of having homefield advantage in the World Series.
Trout connected on the fourth pitch of the game, lining a homer into the right-field seats off National League starter Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Trout then scored on a single by Texas Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder during a two-run fifth inning off Dodgers ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw that snapped a 1-1 tie and put the AL ahead for good. Kansas City Royals right fielder Lorenzo Cain followed with an RBI double.
“It’s pretty awesome,” said Trout, who gave his bat to the Hall of Fame. “I just wanted to get us going early, and it worked out better than I thought.”
The AL pulled away as Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado hit an RBI double in the seventh and scored on Fielder’s sacrifice fly. Minnesota Twins second baseman Brian Dozier hit a solo home run off Pirates closer Mark Melancon in the eighth to make it 6-2.
Hometown hero Pete Rose was a big part of the pregame ceremonies in a city where he is considered royalty.
The all-time hits king received a warm ovation when he was introduced as the final member of the Cincinnati Reds’ Franchise Four players as part of a promo- tion by Major League Baseball. Rose joined Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin and Joe Morgan.
“It’s awesome to see guys like that,” Trout said. “Growing up, I didn’t get to see them play that much because I’m a young guy. But looking up, seeing highlights of all of the Hall of Famers, it’s something I really look forward to looking at and I’m learning more about them. Just how they played in every respect of the game.”
Rose, of course, is not a Hall of Famer after agreeing to a lifetime ban from MLB in 1989 for gambling on baseball while manager of the Reds.
Rose has appealed for reinstatement. First-year Commissioner Rob Manfred, who replaced retired Bud Selig in January, reiterated that he would eventually meet with Rose but has not set a date because he is reviewing information pertaining to the suspension.
Rose and Manfred did meet on the field briefly during pregame ceremonies — the first time the two had ever spoken to each other — but the talk did not go beyond exchanging pleasantries.
“I frankly was surprised at how much material there was to be reviewed,” Manfred said. “We’re taking a fresh look at all of that. I remain committed to the idea that Mr. Rose deserves an opportunity to tell me in whatever format he feels most comfortable, whatever he wants me to know about the issues.”
It was the continuation of an All-Star Game with a uniquely Cincinnati twist as Reds third baseman Todd Frazier won the Home Run Derby and Chicago Cubs catching prospect Kyle Schwarber, who is from nearby Middletown, Ohio, was the MVP of the Futures Game.
Frazier got an even bigger ova- tion than Rose a night after winning the derby. But “The Toddfather” knows who is first in the hearts of Cincinnati fans.
“If you want to get into an argument with somebody from Cincinnati, tell them that you don’t love Pete Rose,” Frazier said. “It’s like saying something about your dad.”
Schwarber’s two-run double keyed the USA’s 10-1 victory against the World team.
“It was awesome going up those steps and stepping on that field where I grew up watching the Reds,” Schwarber said.