Power Surge
WASHINGTON — Houston teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer homered on consecutive pitches from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Ross Stripling to start the 10th inning, part of a record 10 long balls in all, and the American League beat the NL 8-6 Tuesday night to extend its All-Star Game winning streak to six.
Aaron Judge and Mike Trout hit early solo homers for the AL, and Jean Segura hit a three-run drive for a 5-2 lead in the eighth.
While the power display entertained the fans who stuck around for the end of the 3 hour, 34-minute game, the one-dimensional exhibition won’t allay any concerns about a sport that’s becoming defined by home runs, strikeouts and walks.
Thirteen of the 14 runs came in on homers. All but two of them were solo shots. Segura’s three-run homer in the eighth was the only hit with a man in scoring position.
Scooter Gennett tied it for the National League in the ninth with a two-run homer. Then Astros teammates Bregman and Springer took Ross Stripling deep.
The 10 long balls shattered the previous All-Star Game record of six.
Gennett was the fourth player on the night to homer in his first All-Star at-bat. The others were Segura of the American League and the NL’s Willson Contreras and Trevor Story.
Bregman was named the All-Star Game MVP for his go-ahead homer in the 10th inning.
The 24-year-old Bregman is a first-time All-Star in his third major league season. He hit 19 homers last year and has 20 so far this year.
The Pirates’ lone All-Star, Felipe Vazquez, pitched a scoreless seventh for the NL.
The AL has won 18 of the last 21 All-Star Games played to a decision, taking a 44-43 lead in the series, with two ties.
