SAN FRANCISCO – This was supposed to be Barry’s big night. In some ways it was just that.
The pregame ceremony that honored Willie Mays was a special treat for Barry Bonds and everyone AT&T Park. It was another big night for the American League, and a night Derek Jeter will never forget because of the Say Hey Kid.
On the field, Bonds and his teammates did not have enough juice to bring home a victory for the home team. As a result, the National League lost its 10th straight Midsummer Classic.
If the Yankees can somehow turn around their season and make it to the World Series, they will have the home-field advantage. Behind a barrage of home runs, including MVP Ichiro Suzuki’s two-run, inside-the-park-home run, the first All-Star inside-the-park homer, the American League topped the National League 5-4 before 43,965 fans.
Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run home run in the ninth to close the gap to one. The NL then loaded the bases on walks, but Francisco Rodriguez got Aaron Rowand to fly to right to end the exciting night.
Carl Crawford and Victor Martinez also homered for the AL. Jeter has never lost an All-Star Game in eight appearances.
“I don’t particularly like it,” Jeter said of the format where the winner takes home-field advantage, “but if you are going to do it that way, it’s good that we won.”
Martinez’s two-run blast came against the Mets’ Billy Wagner in the eighth, a critical blow.
For Jeter, it was a special night and All-Star experience because he got the chance to spend time with Mays. Mays presented Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr. with two jackets that he was wearing during the ceremony.
“That was special, and I had the opportunity [Monday] to do an interview with him for about 30 minutes and ask him some questions and spend some time with him,” Jeter said. “That was real special to be involved with that, and that is what I’m going to take away from this game.”
As for the jacket, Jeter said, “It’s really special to get something from Willie Mays.”
The Mets’ Jose Reyes produced three hits in first three at-bats and put the NL on top, 1-0 in the first when he singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Griffey. Batting Bonds second came back to haunt Tony La Russa.
After Reyes doubled to lead off the third, Bonds could not move him along to third, flying deep to left. Carlos Beltran of the Mets then grounded to second and Griffey struck out. Bonds also popped up after Reyes singled and stole second in the first. Bonds finished 0-for-2, leaving the game after three innings.
But Bonds had a great night.
“It was icing on the cake,” Bonds said of the ceremony where Mays took center stage. Bonds and Jeter walked with Mays, escorting him to a 1958 Cadillac El Dorado. Mays then took a spin around this beautiful ballpark, tossing baseballs to the crowd.
“I’m lost for words,” said Bonds, who was given two standing ovations by his home crowd. “There’s too many emotions to be able to explain it. You know, this is my family. These are people, a lot of them. I grew up with throughout my years. All you can say is thank you.”
Met third baseman David Wright, an All-Star starter, called the ceremony one of the highlights of his career.
“I want to make sure to get the video from Major League Baseball,” Wright said.
Said Mays of the ceremony, “Oh my God, I haven’t been out there [in the outfield] in at least 15, 20 years.”
Mays, though, does not like individual attention.
“This is about San Francisco,” he said. “This is not about a godfather or a player. It’s not about that. You know, the All-Star Game would have went on regardless of what happened to he and I.”
American 5 National 4
Hometown heroes
How the Mets and Yankees fared in last night’s All-Star Game:
METS
JOSE REYES – In the first, singled to center off Dan Haren, stole second and scored on Ken Griffey Jr.’s single to center. Doubled off Josh Beckett in the third. In the fifth singled to center off C.C. Sabathia. Grounded out to short against Johan Santana in the seventh.
CARLOS BELTRAN – Struck out swinging against Haren in the first. In the third grounded out to second against Beckett. In the sixth, tripled to right off Justin Verlander and later scored on Griffey’s fly to right field.
DAVID WRIGHT – Grounded out to short in the first against Haren. In the fourth grounded to second off Beckett. In the sixth, singled to center off Verlander.
BILLY WAGNER – In the eighth inning gave up single to Mike Lowell. Got Justin Morneau to foul out. Struck out Grady Sizemore. Gave up home run to Victor Martinez. Got Carl Crawford to ground out.
YANKEES
DEREK JETER – Grounded into a 6-4-3 double play in the first inning off Jake Peavy. In the third singled to center off Ben Sheets. In the fifth flied out to center off Chris Young.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ – Grounded out to third off Peavy in the first inning. In the fourth singled off Cole Hamels and was thrown out at the plate by Griffey on Ivan Rodriguez’s single. In the sixth, flied out to center against Francisco Cordero.
JORGE POSADA – Pinch hitting for Beckett in the fifth, he flied to center off Chris Young. Lined out to first in the seventh off Takashi Saito. Doubled off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth.