(AP) Robinson Cano was a late addition to the American League All-Star team, and he made a late contribution to a 2-1 win over the National League in Miami on Tuesday.
Cano led off the 10th inning with a homer off Wade Davis to break a 1-1 deadlock and earn MVP honors. The Mariners second baseman landed on his eighth All-Star team only as an injury replacement for Starlin Castro of the Yankees.
It was the first extra-inning home run in an All-Star Game since Reds slugger Tony Perez hit one exactly 50 years ago. Perez threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches before the game.
The American League jumped out on top in the fifth inning against Dodgers left Alex Wood as Boston outfielder Mookie Betts hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Twins infielder Miguel Sano (sah-NOH’) to break the ice. The National League tied it on Yadier Molina’s (YAH’-dee-ehr moh-LEE’-nuhz) solo homer off Ervin Santana in the bottom of the sixth, a half-inning after the Cardinals catcher was inserted into the game.
Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel received the victory after stranding the potential winning run on third base in the ninth. Cleveland’s Andrew Miller got the save, striking out Cody Bellinger to end it.
According to Royals.com, Moose went 0-2 in the game, but faced a couple of former Royals in both at bats. Moustakas, who replaced Miguel Sano at third base in the seventh and stayed in to play the rest of the game, took his first at-bat in the top of the eighth. Greg Holland won the battle by getting Moustakas to fly out to right field to start the inning. Moustakas also came up empty against Davis, striking out in the 10th.
Perez, who made his fifth career All-Star Game appearance, had a brief injury scare in the first inning after he was struck on the right hand by a foul tip off the bat of Giants catcher Buster Posey. A trainer came out to check on Perez, but he stayed in the game and caught five innings. He went 0-for-2 at the plate.
Jason Vargas, playing in his first All-Star game, allowed one hit, but recorded 3 outs in the 4th inning.
It’s the fifth straight victory for the American League, and the 17th in the last 20 contests that didn’t end in a tie. The outcome means the all-time series is tied for the first time since the NL beat the AL in 1964. Each league has won 43 times, with two ties.
The outcome no longer determines home-field advantage for the World Series, as it had since 2003. Instead, the American League winners get $20,000 apiece, while the losers get nothing.
