American League pitchers dominate for MLB All-Star win

Starter Dylan Cease struck out three batters in the first inning to ignite a dominant American League pitching performance in a 4-0 victory over the National League in Tuesday's 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Cuban 38-year-old left-hander Aroldis Chapman and 31-year-old American right-hander Bryan Baker forced the final outs in the ninth inning to complete an overpowering pitching effort at Philadelphia.

"As the game went on, the pitching was just absolutely dominant," said AL outfielder Cody Bellinger, the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.

In the first All-Star Game shutout since 2013, 11 AL pitchers allowed NL batters three hits with two walks and struck out 15.

The AL won for the 11th time in the past 13 editions to seize a 49-45 with two drawn edge in the all-time rivalry.

AL batters tagged NL starter Cristopher Sanchez of Philadelphia for three runs in the first inning as Yordan Alvarez singled, Shea Langeliers and Bobby Witt Jr. walked, Bellinger hit a two-run single up the middle and his New York Yankees teammate Ben Rice had a run-scoring single.

"The guys in front of me did a great job. They got on base," Bellinger said. 

"I'm up with the bases loaded and I just tried to keep it simple. I got a good pitch to hit and tried to put a good swing on it."

Miguel Vargas, a 26-year-old Cuban third baseman for the Chicago White Sox, hit an eighth-inning solo home run to produce the final margin of victory.

Vargas, one of 36 first-time All-Stars in the game, blasted the ball into the second deck over the left-field wall.

"Kind of felt like my major league debut," Vargas said. 

"It was an unbelievable experience. I'm glad to be around all these superstars."

AL third baseman Junior Caminero of Tampa Bay was hit on the top of his left hand by a pitch from the NL's Riley O'Brien in the third inning and pulled from the game. X-rays at the ballpark were negative for a broken hand.

AL starter Cease, who struck out three in the first inning, and relievers Parker Messick and Michael Wacha kept NL batters hitless with six strikeouts over three innings before Juan Soto singled in the fourth.

Al relievers Joe Ryan, Nick Martinez, Cade Smith, Drew Rasmussen and Jacob Ratz baffled NL batters, allowing just one hit through seven innings.

Pete Crow-Armstrong singled in the eighth for the NL's second hit but Louis Varland pitched a shutout inning, setting the stage for the AL closers in the ninth.

Japanese star Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yankees slugger Aaron Judge were among several standouts to miss the contest due to injuries.

js/dh

© Agence France-Presse