Written by Sam Eggleston at SBNation.com
The 2016 MLB All-Star Game in San Diego was everything you’d expect when some of the best players in the world gather to play one another.
The game started off with an offensive fervor, but the pitching became dominant throughout the latter innings with the defenses on both the National League and American League squads stepping in to keep the contest a relatively low-scoring affair.
In the end, it was the American League that proved to have just enough swagger in the batter’s box as it edged its foe, 4-2, to take the title of champion in the 87th MLB All-Star Game.
Cleveland’s Corey Kluber earned the win on the mound with Baltimore’s Zach Brittonpicking up the save in the final inning. San Francisco hurler Johnny Cueto took the loss for the National League.
The game came to a close following the top of the ninth inning after the National League failed to overcome a two-run deficit and surrendered the victory despite getting a runner on base in its final offensive showing. The American League picked up outs off a strong defensive effort by the infield, which was the story for the final seven innings of the All-Star contest.
The National League ended the night with 10 hits, while the American League made the most of its eight hits. Each team picked up an error.
The National League took the lead early in the game as Chicago Cubs standout Kris Bryant slugged the first pitch he saw from the White Sox’s Chris Sale, sending it over the wall for a one-run home run to make it 1-0. The American League quickly turned the tide in its favor, however, as it scored three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead. Eric Hosmer of the Royals started the scoring run with an opposite-field solo home run to tie the game, 1-1, but a thundering two-run dinger by fellow Royal Salvador Perez propelled the American League into the lead.
In the bottom of the third, the American League added to its lead on an error by Bryant on a swat from Hosmer that scored Toronto’s Edwin Encarnacion for a 4-1 advantage. The National League added a run in the top of the fourth when Marlins outfielderMarcell Ozuna singled up the middle to score Giants catcher Buster Posey, pulling the squad to just a two-run deficit at 4-2.
All was quiet until the bottom of the seventh inning when the National League found itself facing a bases loaded situation. Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor smacked a hard grounder towards second base, but a sprinting Daniel Murphy snagged the ball on the run, spun and threw Lindor out at first to close the inning.
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