All-Star Game 2008: No Tie This Time

With Carlos Marmol pitching in the bottom of the 13th, Dan Uggla did nothing to help himself or his team, bobbling another grounder off the bat of J.D. Drew for his third error of the game. His third error came at 1 a.m. Eastern, exactly one hour after his previous two. Carlos Quentin wasted another good opportunity for the AL with a strikeout to end the inning.

Sherrill worked a quick 1-2-3 top of the 14th, getting the pesky Miguel Tejada on a grounder for the third out. Brandon Webb came out for Marmol in the bottom of the 14th and immediately received more stellar defense from Tejada, who snared a Carlos Guillen line drive. Webb helped himself after that, striking out Sizemore and Longoria to extend the game to the 15th.

No All-Star Game has ever gone past the 15th inning, and, if 2002 is any kind of indication, it appeared this game would not either. Kazmir appeared for the AL, leaving the home bullpen empty, and the game no closer to an appeasing final. Brad Lidge, the last NL pitcher, came out in the bottom of the 15th, marking the beginning of the end for the game.

Ian Kinsler tried his best to move the game closer to an end, but Ryan Ludwick would have none of it, making a spectacular diving play in left. Lidge, however, seemed to have had enough of this marathon. He walked the bases full and then gave Michael Young a pitch to hit, which he drilled into left deep enough to score Morneau from third and keep the AL All-Star Game streak alive.

With the game no more than an inning from an unfortunate end, the AL came through and proved it is still the dominant league. The AL dominated interleague play again, winning overall, 149-103, and took what was rightfully theirs: the All-Star Game and, subsequently, home-field advantage for the World Series.

After the game, home-run hero J.D. Drew was honored as the game's Most Valuable Player. He was certainly deserving of such an honor, going 2-for-4 on the night with a homer, two RBI, a stolen base, and a walk to his name. He earned it, and maybe earned his team home-field later on.

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