Pittsburgh – It wasn’t enough that the American League beat the National League 3-2 on Tuesday night. The AL had to teeter, wobble, then prevail with a breathless ninth-inning rally that left the NL gasping as if punched in the gut.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not with San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman standing on the mound at PNC Park. He’s as predictable as the sunset, more reliable than a pickup. He doesn’t make appearances, he gives performances.
So there he stood with an 0-2 count on the Texas Rangers’ Michael Young, one strike away from making critics swallow their tongues about the NL’s swelling inferiority complex.
Instead of using his trademark changeup, Hoffman changed up, throwing an 86 mph, belt-high fastball. Young, who added All-Star Game MVP honors to last season’s AL batting title, reacted with ferocity, lashing the ball into the right-center gap for a triple, sending home the deciding two runs.
“That’s something that I am going to contemplate a few times. In most cases, I throw a changeup there. I probably should have gone with my bread and butter,” said Hoffman, his right arm cased in ice as he patiently answered questions from waves of reporters. “To be that close, it hurts.”
Young’s laser brought the American League players to their feet. Not only did he extend the AL’s dominance – it hasn’t lost an All-Star Game since 1996 – it added the satisfaction of keeping home-field advantage in the World Series.
“When I fouled off his changeup to make it an 0-2 count, I just tried to clear my head,” said Young, who became the Rangers’ regular shortstop after Alex Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees three years ago. “I was ready for anything.”
Hoffman liked his chances. He caught an unbelievable break moments earlier when Troy Glaus’ long flyball bounced into the stands, a ground-rule double that prevented the tying run from scoring.
Hoffman quickly got ahead of Young, normal procedure for someone who sits 18 saves away from Lee Smith’s all-time mark. This season, Hoffman, a Padres institution, has an 0.72 ERA in save situations and has blown just one of 26 chances.
“When he got two strikes on him, I expected to see changeups in the dirt over and over, because that’s how he always gets me out,” said Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday, who finished 0-for-3. “You’re surprised when anyone makes contact.”
Catcher Brian McCann thought Young was cheating up in the box, looking for Hoffman’s parachute pitch, so he signaled for a fastball. Hoffman agreed and paid an enormous price. As Hoffman watched helplessly from the dugout, the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera slammed the door in the ninth.
“I know how Joe Torre feels. He’s done that in tough situations for years,” AL manager Ozzie Guillen said. “You have complete confidence when he’s on the mound.”
The NL made a stirring comeback necessary because of a solo home run by David Wright and an opportunistic third inning. With former Arvada West star Roy Halladay pitching, Carlos Beltran singled and later scored on a wild pitch, pushing the NL ahead 2-1. Six consecutive NL pitchers served as bodyguards for the lead, among them the Rockies’ Brian Fuentes, who hit 94 mph in his nine-pitch outing.
And yet with a single, nerve-jangling out remaining, the White Sox’s Paul Konerko singled to left, bringing up Glaus. He enjoyed success against Hoffman while with the Diamondbacks, and mashed a changeup.
It set up a maddening ending that made strange sense.
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5457 or trenck@denverpost.com.
All-Star Game results
2006 -American, 3-2; 2005 – American, 7-5; 2004 -American, 9-4; 2003 -American, 7-6; 2002 -Tied 7-7, 11 innings; 2001 -American, 4-1; 2000 -American, 6-3.
1999 -American, 4-1; 1998 -American, 13-8; 1997 -American, 3-1; 1996 -National, 6-0; 1995 -National, 3-2; 1994 -National, 8-7, 10 innings; 1993 -American, 9-3; 1992 -American, 13-6; 1991 -American, 4-2; 1990 -American, 2-0.
1989 -American, 5-3; 1988 -American, 2-1; 1987 -National, 2-0, 13 innings; 1986 -American, 3-2; 1985 -National, 6-1; 1984 -National, 3-1; 1983 -American, 13-3; 1982 -National, 4-1; 1981 -National, 5-4; 1980 -National, 4-2.
1979 -National, 7-6; 1978 -National, 7-3; 1977 -National, 7-5; 1976 -National, 7-1; 1975 -National, 6-3; 1974 -National, 7-2; 1973 -National, 7-1; 1972 -National, 4-3, 10 innings; 1971 -American, 6-4; 1970 -National, 5-4, 12 innings.
1969 -National, 9-3; 1968 -National, 1-0; 1967 -National, 2-1, 15 innings; 1966 -National, 2-1, 10 innings; 1965 -National, 6-5; 1964 -National, 7-4; 1963 -National, 5-3; 1962 -National, 3-1; 1962 -American, 9-4; 1961 -Tied 1-1, 9 innings, rain; 1961 -National, 5-4, 10 innings; 1960 -National, 5-3; 1960 -National, 6-0. 1959 -National, 5-4; 1959 -American, 5-3; 1958 -American, 4-3; 1957 -American, 6-5; 1956 -National, 7-3; 1955 -National, 6-5, 12 innings; 1954 -American, 11-9; 1953 -National, 5-1; 1952 -National, 3-2, 5 innings, rain; 1951 -National, 8-3; 1950 -National, 4-3, 14 innings.
1949 -American, 11-7; 1948 -American, 5-2; 1947 -American, 2-1; 1946 -American, 12-0; 1945 -No Game; 1944 -National, 7-1; 1943 -American, 5-3; 1942 -American, 3-1; 1941 -American, 7-5; 1940 -National, 4-0. 1939 -American, 3-1; 1938 -National, 4-1; 1937 -American, 8-3; 1936 -National, 4-3; 1935 -American, 4-1; 1934 -American, 9-7; 1933 -AL, 4-2.
All-Star Game MVPs
2006 -Michael Young, Texas, AL; 2005 -Miguel Tejada, Baltimore, AL; 2004 -Alfonso Soriano, Texas, AL; 2003 -Garret Anderson, Anaheim, AL; 2002 -None; 2001 -Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore, AL.
2000 -Derek Jeter, New York, AL; 1999 -Pedro Martinez, Boston, AL; 1998 -Roberto Alomar, Baltimore, AL; 1997 -Sandy Alomar Jr., Cleveland, AL; 1996 -Mike Piazza, Los Angeles, NL; 1995 -Jeff Conine, Florida, NL; 1994 -Fred McGriff, Atlanta, NL; 1993 -Kirby Puckett, Minnesota, AL; 1992 -Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle, AL; 1991 -Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore, AL.
1990 -Julio Franco, Texas, AL; 1989 -Bo Jackson, Kansas City, AL; 1988 -Terry Steinbach, Oakland, AL; 1987 -Tim Raines, Montreal, NL; 1986 -Roger Clemens, Boston, AL; 1985 -LaMarr Hoyt, San Diego, NL; 1984 -Gary Carter, Montreal, NL; 1983 -Fred Lynn, California, AL; 1982 -Dave Concepcion, Cincinnati, NL; 1981 -Gary Carter, Montreal, NL.
1980 -Ken Griffey Sr., Cincinnati, NL; 1979 -Dave Parker, Pittsburgh, NL; 1978 -Steve Garvey, Los Angeles, NL; 1977 -Don Sutton, Los Angeles, NL; 1976 -George Foster, Cincinnati, NL; 1975 -Bill Madlock, Chicago, NL, and Jon Matlack, New York, NL; 1974 -Steve Garvey, Los Angeles, NL; 1973 -Bobby Bonds, San Francisco, NL; 1972 -Joe Morgan, Cincinnati, NL; 1971 -Frank Robinson, Baltimore, AL.
1970 -Carl Yastrzemski, Boston, AL; 1969 -Willie McCovey, San Francisco, NL; 1968 -Willie Mays, San Francisco, NL; 1967 -Tony Perez, Cincinnati, NL; 1966 -Brooks Robinson, Baltimore, AL; 1965 -Juan Marichal, San Francisco, NL; 1964 -John Callison, Philadelphia, NL; 1963 -Willie Mays, San Francisco, NL; 1962 -x-Maury Wills, Los Angeles, NL; 1962 -x-Leon Wagner, Los Angeles, AL.
x-two games
