Record 10 homers as AL wins All-Star Game 8-6 in 10 innings
AP Baseball Writer
-
Houston Astros George Springer (4) congratulates Houston Astros Alex Bregman (2) on Bregman's solo home run during the tenth inning at the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros George Springer (4) congratulates Houston Astros Alex Bregman (2) on Bregman's solo home run during the tenth inning at the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros Alex Bregman (2) hits a solo home run in the tenth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros Alex Bregman (2) hits a solo home run in the tenth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer (4) celebrates his solo home run in the tenth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer (4) celebrates his solo home run in the tenth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura (2) celebrates his three-run homer in the eighth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP | AP
-
Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura (2) celebrates his three-run homer in the eighth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer (4) celebrates his solo home run in the tenth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer (4) celebrates his solo home run in the tenth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Seattle Mariners Jean Segura (2) points the bench as he rounds the bases on a three-run homer in the eighth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP | FR67404 AP
-
Seattle Mariners Jean Segura (2) points the bench as he rounds the bases on a three-run homer in the eighth inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP | FR67404 AP
-
Seattle Mariners Jean Segura (2) celebrates his three-run homer in the eight inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Seattle Mariners Jean Segura (2) celebrates his three-run homer in the eight inning during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Seattle Mariners Jean Segura (2) hits a three-run homer in the eighth inning during the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
AP | AP
-
Seattle Mariners Jean Segura (2) hits a three-run homer in the eighth inning during the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
AP | AP
-
Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout (27) rounds the bases on a solo home run during the second inning of the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP | FR67404 AP
-
Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout (27) rounds the bases on a solo home run during the second inning of the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP | FR67404 AP
-
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) celebrates his solo home run with Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado (13) during the first inning Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) celebrates his solo home run with Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado (13) during the first inning Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanuagh, in red hat, sits in the stands before the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
CORRECTS SPELLING TO KAVANAUGH, INSTEAD OF KAVANUAGH - Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, in red hat, sits in the stands before the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
CORRECTS SPELLING TO KAVANAUGH, INSTEAD OF KAVANUAGH - Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, in red hat, sits in the stands before the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras (40) celebrates this third inning solo home run during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras (40) celebrates this third inning solo home run during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story points skyward after his seventh inning solo home run during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story points skyward after his seventh inning solo home run during the Major League Baseball All-star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
AP | AP
-
A choir moves on the field before the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
A choir moves on the field before the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
AP | AP
-
A choir moves on the field before the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
AP | AP
-
A choir moves on the field before the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
AP | AP
-
A choir moves on the field before the 89th MLB baseball All-Star Game, Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Nationals Park, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
AP | AP
WASHINGTON — A record 10 home runs. A slew of strikeouts.
The all-or-nothing All-Star Game mirrored what baseball has become.
Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer homered on consecutive pitches to begin the 10th inning, and the American League beat the National League 8-6 Tuesday night for its sixth straight win.
Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Jean Segura also connected for the AL in a game where every run except one scored on a homer.
Scooter Gennett hit a tying two-run shot off Seattle closer Edwin Diaz in the bottom of the ninth. Joey Votto, Willson Contreras, Trevor Story, Christian Yelich also went deep for the NL.
There had never been more than six homers in an All-Star Game since Babe Ruth hit the very first one in 1933.
Not that everything went the sluggers’ way. Starters Max Scherzer and Chris Sale and the relievers combined to fan 15 in the first 4 1/2 innings, and there were 24 strikeouts overall.
Fitting, because this season is on pace to become the first with more strikeouts than hits, a year after a record number of home runs.
Orioles shortstop Manny Machado had fun, pulling out a camera to snap a selfie at second base after Matt Kemp doubled. By Wednesday, they could be teammates — Baltimore seems ready to trade Machado, with the Dodgers and Phillies in the mix.
Major League Baseball, meanwhile, seemed to take a selfie of itself at this game, with all the homers and strikeouts. This was MLB 2.018, an update that’s not appealing to everyone.
Declining attendance is a concern, and the sport’s owners worry that slower games with less action on the bases are taking a toll.
A day after hometown star Bryce Harper electrified the crowd by winning the Home Run Derby, it was eerily quiet for most of the evening at Nationals Park. Harper didn’t excite the fans, either, fanning in his two at-bats.
The popular Presidents Race at the park drew the biggest cheer in the middle innings, with the big-headed George Washington character prevailing.
The only thing missing was a bevy of defensive shifts. Overloaded infields are the norm now, but AL manager A.J. Hinch of Houston and NL skipper Dave Roberts of the Dodgers pretty much played things straight up.
Bregman and Springer homered off losing pitcher Ross Stripling of the Dodgers — that’s kind of how last year ended, too, with Houston battering Los Angeles pitchers in the World Series.
“I’ve seen it before. I haven’t seen it before in an All-Star Game like this,” Hinch said. “Pretty proud of them.”
Bregman smiled all around the bases and earned MVP honors.
Segura’s three-run homer in the eighth landed in the bullpen and broke a 2-all tie. The Seattle infielder popped up the previous pitch, but Votto, Cincinnati’s reliable first baseman, dropped it for an error as he approached the dugout railing.
Segura then connected off Milwaukee’s Josh Hader, one of baseball’s most dominant relievers.
Judge homered in the second off Scherzer, the Nationals ace who became the first reigning Cy Young Award winner to start an All-Star Game in his home park. There was another judge at the park besides the Yankees slugger — Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
Trout kept up his All-Star excellence, tagging Mets righty Jacob deGrom. A two-time MVP in his event, Trout is 7 for 15 with five extra-base hits and three walks in these games.
Diaz wound up with the win and Toronto’s J.A. Happ got a save after giving up Votto’s homer.
The AL won for the 18th time in 21 games played to a decision, and leads the series 44-43-2. Not since the early 1960s has the AL been ahead.
———
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.
User Legend: 
Moderator 
Trusted User
Demons overcome fourth-quarter deficit to best Bears, 22-15
Down 14-7 with less than 11 minutes left in regulation, Rifle head coach Todd Casebier decided it was time to deviate from his ground-and-pound offense for a bit of an aerial attack.
