Hosmer, Perez lift AL in Ortiz's final all-star game
4th straight win for Junior Circuit; will have home advantage in World Series
Eric Hosmer stood in the middle of the field, holding up a trophy. He hopes to do it again with the Kansas City Royals this fall.
Hosmer and Salvador Perez homered off former Kansas City teammate Johnny Cueto during a six-pitch span in the second inning, Hosmer added an RBI single to become MVP of the All-Star Game and the American League beat the Nationals 4-2 Tuesday night for its fourth straight win.
If the defending champion Royals reach the World Series for the third straight year, they will start at home, sweet, home once again.
"Hopefully this is something we can all rally upon for the second half and find a way to use that home-field advantage," Hosmer said.
David Ortiz found himself in the middle of the most touching moment at Petco Park, embraced by his AL teammates near first base after exiting his final All-Star Game. The popular Big Papi plans to retire at 40 after this season with Boston.
Kris Bryant of the Cubs led the parade of sparkling young talent with a first-inning home run. The Yankees' Dellin Betances flashed his 100 mph heat, and Astros reliever Will Harris came on to throw a called third strike past Cardinals rookie Aledmys Diaz on a 3-2 pitch on the outside corner with the bases loaded to end the eighth.
Cleveland's Corey Kluber pitched a 1-2-3 second inning for the win, and Zach Britton induced Nolan Arenado's game-ending, double-play grounder for the save as the AL cut its deficit to 43-42 with two ties. The NL has outscored the AL overall, 360-359.
Big Papi's final all-star game
Ortiz wore spikes with gold-colored bottoms and matching batting gloves to mark his 10th All-Star selection and delivered the AL batting order to umpires at home plate.
He gave a pregame pep talk to his teammates, hit a smash down the first-base line that Anthony Rizzo snagged to rob him of a potential RBI double in the first and walked against Jose Fernandez in the third.
When Edwin Encarnacion came out to pinch run for him, Ortiz waved to the crowd and then spent his AL teammates came out of the dugout to exchange hugs as the crowd of 42,386 rose in tribute.
"I was supposed to hit a home run in my second at-bat. My boy told me he was going to throw me a fastball, and the first pitch was a changeup," Ortiz said.
"Then 3-2 he threw me a slider and I'm like, `Are you trying to break my back?' But he said it was the catcher's fault."
Fernandez admitted, "I couldn't believe that I was actually pitching to him. We both looked at each other and smiled."
"He signed the jersey I brought for him," the 23-year-old Miami Marlins ace said.
The All-Star Game returned to San Diego for the first time since 1992 at Jack Murphy Stadium. Just before this first pitch, commissioner Rob Manfred joined Rod Carew, his family and the family of late Padres great Tony Gwynn and named the batting titles after the two Hall of Famers, giving Gwynn the NL honor and Carew the AL championship.
Gwynn died of salivary gland cancer two years ago at age 54.
All-star streak
Mike Trout, the All-Star MVP in 2014 and `15, singled in the first for a five-All-Star Game hitting streak — only Mickey Mantle, Joe Morgan and Dave Winfield (seven each) and Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Nellie Fox (six apiece) strung together more.
Hosmer, the first Kansas City player to homer in an All-Star Game since Bo Jackson in 1989, made it 4-1 in the third against Fernandez with a one-hopper off Bryant's left arm that bounced into left field for an RBI single. Marcell Ozuna cut the gap with a run-scoring single off Aaron Sanchez in the fourth.
When it was over, Hosmer said he was giving the midnight black truck he earned with the MVP award to his dad, Michael, who stood off to the side. "So he can stop stealing all my cars," Eric said.