The losing streak for the National League vs. bookmaker baseball odds finally ended on Tuesday as the NL beat the AL by a score of 3-1. For a long while it looked like another tough loss for the National League vs. Internet bookmaker odds but with one swing of the bat by Brian McCann everything changed.
Internet bookmaker odds slightly favored the American League in Tuesday’s All-Star game but the National League’s pitching and McCann’s hitting gave the NL the win. The National League had not won the All-Star game since 1996 and for more than six innings it looked like they would lose again as they trailed 1-0 in the seventh. McCann though hit a three-run double that turned the tide and the National League broke the losing streak. The National League will now have home field advantage in this year’s World Series thanks to their All-Star win.
The win didn’t come easy for the National League as in the ninth inning the American League had a rally going before David Ortiz’s base running slow things down. Ortiz led off with a single against the National League’s Jonathan Broxton. With one out, John Buck hit a bloop single to right field but Ortiz was unsure of whether or not right fielder Marlon Byrd would catch it and he didn’t have the speed to make it to second base when the ball dropped and he was forced out at second base. That play turned the tide in the inning and Ian Kinsler flied out to end the game. For some inexplicable reason, Alex Rodriguez did not pinch hit for Kinsler and was never used in the game for the American League. Manager Joe Giradi really mismanaged the ninth inning as he didn’t pinch run for Ortiz and then he didn’t pinch hit for Kinsler.
McCann won the MVP award as he had the first three-run double in All-Star game history. He is the first Atlanta player to win the MVP in the All-Star game since 1994. Matt Capps was the winning pitcher while Phil Hughes took the loss. Hughes was the first Yankees pitcher to lose an All-Star game since 1980.
The All-Star game was all about pitching and it easily went under the baseball betting total. It was the lowest scoring All-Star game since 1997.