CLEVELAND (AP) – Make it seven straight wins for the American League in the All-Star Game. Joey Gallo’s solo homer in the seventh inning gave the AL a 4-1 lead before the junior circuit hung on for a 4-3 win over the National League in Cleveland. The story for the American League was on the mound as nine hurlers each threw one inning and combined to allow just five hits while striking out 16. Indians hurler and game MVP Shane Bieber gave the local fans a thrill by striking out the side in the fifth. Liam Hendriks and Aroldis Chapman also fanned three in their one inning of work.
Former Indian Michael Brantley opened the scoring with an RBI double off loser Clayton Kershaw, scoring Astros teammate Alex Bregman. Gary Sanchez began the junior circuit’s second rally by leading off the fifth with a double before scoring on Jorge Polanco’s single. Charlie Blackmon put the NL on the board with a two-out homer in the sixth, but the AL regained control on a run-scoring double-play grounder and a solo homer by Joey Gallo. The insurance runs came in handy once Home Run Derby winner Pete Alonso delivered a two-run single in the eighth. Masahiro Tanaka worked a scoreless second to get the win. Pirates first baseman Josh Bell went one-for-two with an infield single in the second. The American League leads the overall series, 45-43-2.