The National League might just get used to this winning thing. After losing 12 straight MLB All-Star games between 1997 and 2009, the N.L. claimed their third straight victory with an 8-0 drubbing of the A.L. in Kansas City. The eight runs was also the most scored by a single team since the A.L. put up nine runs in 2004, and the margin of victory was the greatest in an All-Star game since the A.L. won 13-3 in 1983.
The N.L. got it started early, putting up five runs off A.L. starter and reinging Cy Young winner Justin Verlander in the top of the first inning. Ryan Braun kicked off the barrage of runs with a double to score Melky Cabrera, but it was Pablo Sandoval who delivered the big blast, scoring Braun, Carlos Beltran and Buster Posey with a bases-clearing triple. The inning's fifth run came on a Dan Uggla single.
After two innings of silence, the N.L. put up three more runs in the fourth inning off Texas Rangers starter Matt Harrison. Matt Holliday plated teammate Rafael Furcal with a single and then eventual MVP Cabrera knocked a two-run homer to left to score Holliday and make it 8-0.
Rockies All-Star Carlos Gonzalez led-off for the N.L. but missed out on all the fun. CarGo struck out vs. Verlander to begin the game and then grounded out vs. Joe Nathan to begin the second inning.
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