Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The National League, sparked by a trio of
San Francisco Giants and exceptional pitching, will again have home-field
advantage in the World Series after blanking the American League, 8-0, in the
83rd edition of the Midsummer Classic. The capacity crowd at Kauffman Stadium
watched the NL rough up reigning AL MVP Justin Verlander for five runs in
the first inning, three coming on a triple by Pablo Sandoval. Sandoval's
teammate in San Francisco, Melky Cabrera, crushed a two-run homer in the
fourth and starter Matt Cain, the backbone of the Giants' pitching staff
this year, hurled two scoreless innings to earn the win. Last year's NL MVP,
Ryan Braun of the Brewers, went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI and had
one of three triples for the Senior Circuit, which won the showcase game for
the third straight time after a 13-year drought. Tony La Russa, the first
inactive All-Star manager since Bob Lemon in 1979, used a combination of
11 pitchers who held the AL to just six hits, one coming from the Angels'
Mike Trout in the 20-year-old's first at-bat. It was the eighth shutout in
All-Star history. Ron Washington, manager of the two-time reigning league
champion Rangers, opted to start Verlander, and the Tigers ace surrendered
four hits and two walks his only inning on the hill.
The Sports Network