American League powers its way to 5-2 win in All-Star Game

Major League Baseball lost a legend earlier this year with Hall of Fame outfielder Hank Aaron passed away at the age of 86. Prior to the start of tonight’s All-Star Game, the league honored Aaron’s legacy with a video tribute.

Once the game got underway, a pair of home runs by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Mike Zunino helped lead the American League to a 5-2 win.

The AL struck first in the game when Aaron Judge scored on an infield single off the bat of Marcus Semien. They extended the lead an inning later on a long home run by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. off of Corbin Burnes.

The AL extended the lead in the fifth against Marlins lefty Trevor Rogers. Teoscar Hernandez led off the inning with a double and then moved over to third when Cedric Mullins reached on an error by Brandon Crawford. Hernandez would score on a ground out by Guerrero to make it 3-0. Xander Bogaerts followed with an opposite field single that scored Mullins to put the American League in front 4-0.

The National League finally got on the board in the bottom half of the inning when J.T. Realmuto took Gregory Soto deep to right center.

The AL would got that run back in the sixth with a solo home run by Mike Zunino.

The NL loaded the bases in the sixth against Oakland starter Chris Bassitt in the sixth. Manny Machado scored their second run on a passed ball but Kris Bryant struck out to keep the score at 5-2.

The National League had another chance in the eighth. Justin Turner and Eduardo Encarnacion hit back-to-back singles with one out. After a line out by Jake Cronenworth, Matt Barnes walked Juan Soto to load the bases again for Bryant who lined out to left on a nice sliding catch by Jared Walsh.

Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman started at first base for the National League. He grounded out to first in his first at-bat and then singled in the fourth but was erased on a double play. Ozzie Albies entered the game in the sixth as a defensive replacement and grounded out in his first at-bat. He came up again with two outs in the ninth and doubled off of Liam Hendriks.

Albies was mic’d up late in the game and talked about Ronald Acuña Jr’s injury and said that he had Acuña’s All-Star jersey and was going to get it signed by everyone and take it back to him.

That wraps up an eventful week that began with the Futures Game and MLB Draft and ended with the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game. Everyone will enjoy a couple of more days off before play resumes on Friday.