CINCINNATI – Make it three straight wins for the American League in the All-Star game.
Game MVP Mike Trout homered on the game’s fourth pitch and Brian Dozier added a solo blast in the eighth inning of the AL’s 6-3 win over the National League at Cincinnati.
Pete Rose received a long ovation as he made a rare on-field appearance before the game. Rose, Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin and Joe Morgan (with Rose, above) were introduced on the field after being voted the Cincinnati Reds’ Franchise Four players as part of a Major League Baseball promotion.
Rose has petitioned Commissioner Rob Manfred to be reinstated after being handed a lifetime banb for gambling.
Trout went deep off NL starter Zack Greinke, who entered the All-Star break on a streak of 35 2/3 scoreless innings. Greinke struck out four of the last six hitters he faced.
The Junior Circuit went ahead to stay with a two-run fifth off loser Clayton Kershaw. Prince Fielder snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI single before Lorenzo Cain doubled home Albert Pujols.
Andrew McCutchen led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run to get the Senior Circuit within 3-2, a half-inning after Jacob deGrom struck out the side on just 10 pitches. But the AL padded its lead on Fielder’s sac-fly in the sixth and Dozier’s eighth-inning blast.
Fielder finished with two RBIs and Manny Machado chipped in an RBI double as the American League won despite only seven hits.
David Price struck out two in a hitless fourth inning to get the win.
The National now leads the overall series 43-41-2