MLB All-Star Game winners

Will the National League ever win the All-Star Game again? It doesn’t look like it. When the AL dusted off the NL, 4-3, in the 2009 Midsummer Classic, it continued a trend that has extended well into a second decade.

Historically, the National League holds a 40-37-2 margin in the series, but that edge has been eroded significantly by the AL’s 12-0-1 record over the last 13 years. (The teams played to that much-ridiculed 7-7 tie in Milwaukee in 2002 when each ran out of pitching and Commissioner Bud Selig called it a draw after 11 innings.)

How have the Americans done it?

Here’s a list of the last 13 All-Star Game outcomes, with a brief note about each:

2009 — AL 4-3, MVP Carl Crawford’s home run-saving catch helped the American escape with a hard-fought win in St. Louis.

2008 — AL 4-3, Yankee Stadium, New York: Michael Young’s sacrifice fly in the 15th wins it.

2007 — AL 5-4, AT&T Park, San Francisco: Ichiro Suzuki hits the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star history.

2006 — AL 3-2, PNC Park, Pittsburgh: Michael Young hits a two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the ninth.

2005 — AL 7-5, Comerica Park, Detroit: Miguel Tejeda homers has two RBI, and is named MVP.

2004 — AL 9-4, Minute Maid Park, Houston: Alfonso Soriano hits a three-run home, and Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz also homer.

2003 — AL 7-6, U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago: Hank Blalock hits a two-run homer off Eric Gagne in the eighth inning. For the first time, the win clinches home field advantage in the World Series.

2002 — 7-7 tie, Miller Park, Milwaukee: Only the second tie in All-Star Game history. The first came in the second game (who were held back then) in 1961, when the game was called after a 30-minute rain delay.

2001: AL 4-1, SAFECO Field, Seattle: Cal Ripken, Jr., homers and is named MVP in his final All-Star Game.

2000: AL 6-3, Turner Field, Atlanta: Derek Jeter goes 3-for-3 and becomes the first Yankee ever to be named All-Star MVP.

1999: AL 4-1, Fenway Park, Boston: Pedro Martinez of the Red Sox sets an All-Star Game record by striking out the first three hitters and fans five in two innings, earning the MVP Award.

1998: AL 13-8, Coors Field, Denver: The 21 runs scored breaks the previous All-Star Game record of 20, set in 1954.

1997: AL 3-1, Jacobs Field, Cleveland: The Indians’ Sandy Alomar hits a two-run homer in the seventh inning and is named MVP.

Source: MLB.com

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