Welcome to Next Impulse’s MLB All-Star Liveblog. Are liveblogs still a thing? I don’t know. Let’s find out together!
The All-Star Game is an event where we can celebrate America’s pastime together, you know from coast-to-coast and such.
The player introductions went about as you would expect with Matt Harvey getting the most enthusiastic ovation from the Citi Field Crowd, and I mean — he deserves it.
8:00 PM – The players all came out with American flags in their hands when their names were called, and we just found out why as generations of Servicemen and women from both the US and Canada were each handed a flag by a different All-Star. Pretty cool.
8:04 – Candace Glover sings the National Anthem — she won American Idol or The Voice or X Factor — not that it matters, she did our nation proud.
8:07 – I like the NL to win 9-4 with Allen Craig as the MVP.
8:08 – We got a Joe Buck and his battery mate Tim McCarver in the booth talking about how it is thankfully McCarver’s last All-Star Game. Mariano Rivera’s last All-Star Game.
8:12 – Met great Tom Seaver throws out the ceremonial first pitch to David Wright and then we cut to commercial but not before a cool little outro that featured Robinson Cano, David Wright, Mariano Rivera, and Matt Harvey talking about playing in front of ‘their’ fans. Kinda odd considering this game is taking place at Citi Field and has nothing to do with the Yankees. Also, Matt Harvey has a man’s voice.
8:15 – Cool little intro featuring a Torii Hunter telling everyone in the AL Dugout that they are going to eat, followed by Mariano pulling at everyone’s heart by reminding the All-Stars what it means to be in this game.
8:19 – Trout versus Harvey to start and Trout goes the other way and tops it off with a head first slide into second for a double.
8:21 – And Harvey hits Cano. Good start from the Mets’ Ace in his first All-Star Game.
8:23 – Cano seems kosher as he moseys down to first and elects to stay in the game. Miguel Cabrera is up with two men on and nobody out. Not a good thing if you bet on the National League.
8:25 – Harvey strikes out Cabrera — but more importantly Robinson Cano has exited the game. Dustin Pedroia to pinch-run.
8:28 – Harvey gets Davis to fly out to Bryce Harper in center field. Must be nice for him to have good outfielders behind him today.
8:29 – And Harvey gets himself out of trouble after hitting Cano by striking out Jose Bautista.
8:31 – The first time we see the new Chevrolet short film commercial featuring some country tune by some country singer.
8:32 – We are wondering what the AL’s response to Harvey plunking Cano will be.
Scherzer has to plunk David Wright now, doesn’t he?
— Alan Hahn (@alanhahn) July 17, 2013
8:33 – Max Scherzer gets ‘Dat Dude’ Brandon Phillips to pop up to Trout.
8:34 – By the way, Max Scherzer has two different color eyes. Pretty wild.
8:36 – Two up, two down for Scherzer as Beltran grounds out to Davis at first.
8:37 – Scherzer sends us to another commercial break by striking out Joey Votto.
8:40 – Harvey is so friggin’ handsome at pitching.
8:41 – !!!! ERIN ANDREWS !!!! interviewing Tom Seaver who has an unbelievable shirt on.
8:44 – Adam Jones goes down on strikes wearing some snazzy cleats.
8:45 – Harvey gets a nice ovation after finishing off Joe Mauer.
8:49 – Chris Sale in for Ol’ Brown and Blue Eyes Max Scherzer. He gets David Wright to ground out to Miguel Cabrera.
8:50 – Erin Andrews interviewing Matt Harvey asking about hitting Cano. Harvey denies that he did it on purpose, he doesn’t sound too convincing. Sale follows that by making Carlos Gonzalez look silly on a slider.
8:52 – Early contender for best tweet of the second half:
Matt Harvey; naked. Erin Andrews; not naked. That’s the world for ya.
— Eric Wayne (@PhilCokesBrain) July 17, 2013
8:56 – Clayton Kershaw is in for Harvey.
8:57 – “Two balls and two strikes for JJ Hardy who is a productive shortstop.” Thanks, Joe.
8:58 – We’re checking in with Ken Rosenthal to get the scoop on Cano’s leg — he’s okay! Amazing that in 2013 a man’s upper-thigh could grab more headlines than important things. Back2Baseball doe.
9:00 – Joe Buck says x-rays are negative on Cano’s leg, McCarver calls it ‘good news.’ This kind of input is why these two call the big ones.
9:01 – No score moving into the bottom of the third. We watch the All-Star Game for the pitching.
9:05 – Sale stays in for a second inning, gotta figure Jim Leyland pulled his ace after one inning, but he is letting a division rival’s ace pitch a second one, gamesmanship.
9:07 – More quadriceps!
Cano right quadriceps contusion. Was examined by Mets’ doctor.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 17, 2013
9:08 – Michael Cuddyer grounds out, 1/3 of the NL starting lineup are Colorado Rockies.
9:09 – One hit through 3 innings. Nobody on the NL has reached base, which is why this is happening:
Buck/McCarver discussing the AL East race while Chris Sale (Chicago, AL Central) pitches to Bryce Harper (Washington, NL East).
— Steve Lepore (@stevelepore) July 17, 2013
9:14 – Miguel Cabrera gives us the most exciting play of the game so far by throwing his bat about 90 feet into the crowd.
9:15 – New bat and Miggy doubles off new pitcher Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks.
9:20 – We have our first run on a sacrifice fly by Joey Bats, scoring Miguel Cabrera. Fun.
9:23 – Cool spot about the ‘Golden Age of Baseball’ narrated by Vin Scully followed by Joe Buck and Tim McCarver being annoying.
9:25 – Carlos Beltran gives the NL their first hit/baserunner of the night, McCutchen comes into run for Beltran. McCutchen gave us this gem earlier during warmups, via @CorkGaines:
9:28 – ‘Cutch steals second and then moves to third on a Joey Votto groundout.
9:34 – Ken Rosenthal puts to bed any rumors that Cliff Lee will be traded by the Phillies. Thanks guys.
9:35 – Adam Jones hits the AL’s 3rd inning starting double of the game.
9:38 – “A fan just ran on the field. It will be a moment so they can take that fan away before JJ Hardy can hit.”
9:40 – Hardy grounds out to Brandon Phillips who makes a terrific play, Jones scores from third. Both runs in the 2013 All-Star Game have been sacrifices.
9:41 – Brandon Phillips barehands the turn and doubles up Mike Trout sending Tim McCarver into hysterics.
9:47 – Matt Moore comes in and gets CarGo to ground out, followed by more annoyingly forced banter from Buck and McCarver.
9:50 – And we get our first Fox Sports 1 commercial.
9:52 – Jose Fernandez aka ‘The Defector’ in for the NL. His glove is very orange.
9:57 – Jose Fernandez gets through the inning without any trouble. There has been very little trouble in this game
10 PM. This has been short of exhilarating so far.
10:10 – Here is the video of the fan running on the field and getting power bombed by security.
I know we are supposed to be against streakers and the like, but how pumped must security guards be when someone runs on the field. You get to do pretty much whatever you want to them without ramifications.
Here is the text from the streaker to his mom:
10:23 – Things ARE REALLY LOOKING UP after a John Leguizamo Marc Anthony ‘God Bless America’.
10:24 – Manny Machado makes it smooth at 3rd base as he nails Paul Goldschmidt.
10:30 – And now we are into the part of the game where we get one pitcher per batter so everyone can get in. This could get ugly.
10:35 – Steve Delabar’s Tattoo.
10:47 – Now Neil Diamond is singing “Sweet Caroline”. This is going well.
10:52 – The beauty of baseball is on display when Mariano Rivera comes in as ‘Enter Sandman’ is blared throughout Citi Field. Really cool moment as both dugouts empty and give Rivera a standing ovation.
11:10 – Prince Fielder legs out a triple. Yup.
11:19 – Joe Nathan in to close things out for the AL up 3-0.
11:21 – Hold the phone as Paul Goldschmidt doubles with 2 outs.
11:25 – Thankfully this is over.
