July 16, 2008
Last Night's Action: A Game Neither League Could Win
Minnesota Twins' Justin Morneau (33), of the American League team, and Atlanta Braves' Brian McCann, of the National League team, react after Morneau scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Texas Rangers' Michael Young in the 15th inning. AP Photo/Kathy Willens
- American League 4, National League 3 (15 innings): The score may be different, but the outcome of the 2008 version of the Midsummer Classic ended in the same way as the previous 11 games - with an American League victory.
Leading up to the 79th All-Star Game, there were plenty of mentions about the final All-Star game at Yankee Stadium and plenty of reminiscing as well, but lost was the fact that one league would walk away with home field advantage in the World Series. It was a game that seemed like it would never end. Each All-Star team had its chance, and each team blew it. From one run leads, to bases loaded situations over and over, it didn't end until Wednesday morning when Michael Young (Rangers) drove in Justin Mourneau (Twins) with a bases loaded sacrifice fly off Brad Lidge (Phillies) to win the game, 4 hours and 50 minutes after the game started on Tuesday. Scott Kazmir (Rays) pitched one inning for the win.
In the seesaw battle, the NL had leads of 1-0 (5th inning), 2-0 (6th), and 3-2 (8th), but the AL was able to tie it in the 7th inning at 2 and again in the 8th inning at 3-3. In the end, with no pitchers left in either bullpen, the 79th All-Star Game went to the American League in the 15th inning.
The NL almost gave the game away in the 10th inning when Dan Uggla (Marlins) committed two errors in a row, forcing Aaron Cook (Rockies) to walk the bases loaded and work for three almost improbable ground outs. Cook nearly got the loss again in the 11th when Michael Young hit a single to the outfield, but was saved by Nate McLouth's (Pirates) throw home, which beat Dioner Navarro (Rays). For good measure, Uggla added another error in the 13th inning.
Players from the Mets and Yankees were generally less than successful. David Wright entered the game in the 8th inning as the Designated Hitter and went 1-3 with two strikeouts and a walk. Billy Wagner also entered the game in the 8th inning, with the NL up 3-2. With two outs and nobody on base, Wagner gave up a single and then a run scoring double, blowing the save. Derek Jeter was 1-3 with an infield single and a stolen base. Alex Rodriguez was 0-2 with a strikeout. Mariano Rivera pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed two hits while picking up two K's.
- Liberty 77, Sun 71: The Liberty won their 2nd straight game as Lisa Willis led New York with a career-high 18 points. The Sun have lost 4 in a row.
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Boston getting the MVP ... --"
Kazmir so deserved it!
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you forgot to mention the highlight of the game - the ferocious booing of papelbon.
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and the run scored off of papelbon complemented the booing quite well. overrated, pompous, and a five-star asshole. i don't wish certain players would get injured, but if he were to be permanently paralyzed i think i'd feel pretty good about it.
great game though. fuck boston.
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Amazing game.
This year has been a legendary year with great games:
Giants/Packers
Giants/Patriots
Celtics/Lakers
Nadal/Federer
A-League/N-League
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Complete with a familiar sight for NYers...Billy Wagner blowing the save.
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edEx, don't forget Woods/Mediate.
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Correct me if i'm wrong, but Wagner didn't blow a save...he came in in the 8th inning, so it wasn't a save opportunity. He just blew the lead.
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"overrated, pompous, and a five-star asshole."
Bostonian written all over him.
Also, while quite possibly a five-star asshole, I wouldn't call Jeter overrated or pompous.
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@al_fredo Actually, you are wrong. Save opportunities don't just come in the 9th inning.
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celtic/lakers? how the hell is losing by 40 points a great game?
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More specifically, rule 10.19 (page 23 in this download):
The official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four
of the following conditions:
(a) He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team;
(b) He is not the winning pitcher;
(c) He is credited with at least ⅓ of an inning pitched; and
(d) He satisfies one of the following conditions:
(1) He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at
least one inning;
(2) He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either
on base, or at bat or on deck (that is, the potential tying run is either already on
base or is one of the first two batters he faces); or
(3) He pitches for at least three innings.
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kansas/memphis for the ncaa basketball championship
i disagree with celtics/lakers
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Papelbon told the truth about his feelings and refused to worship at the altar of the Yankees and Rivera. I don't think Papelbon is the pompous one in that exchange. We'll see what happens next Friday.
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It's not about worshiping but about showing a modicum of class. If Papelbon had half the resume that Rivera has and this was the last year of Fenway, I'm quite sure that Rivera would have deferred to Papelbon. I appreciate cockiness in a pro athlete, but his statements were disrespectful and childish.
And regardless of what happens next week, Rivera is still the best closer in the game, and probably of all time.
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Uggla, WTF? Three strikeouts and three fielding errors and he's an All-Star? Could that be considered the worst performance ever in an All-Star game?
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I wonder how were the ratings for the game, since it ended around 1:40am on the east coast.
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Rivera would ALWAYS want the ball. That's part of why he's been great for the past decade. That's why Papelbon is so good, too.
Imagine if they started before 8:45 p.m.