NEW YORK — The Midsummer Classic turned into a midsummer marathon.
It was as if legendary Yankee Stadium, in her final summer of existence, didn’t want to close down until only diehard baseball fans remained standing.
The AL all-stars won 4-3 in the 15th inning at 1:37 a.m. Eastern time when Michael Young’s sacrifice fly scored Justin Morneau.
The 4-hour, 50-minute game — the longest ever in terms of game time — didn’t lack for drama, including that surrounding Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook.
He pitched three innings of scoreless baseball, and time after time pulled off escape acts trickier than breaking out of Alcatraz.
In the 10th, Cook induced two grounders to open the inning, but Florida second baseman Dan Uggla made two consecutive errors (he had three in the game). Cook intentionally loaded the bases then got out of the mess with three consecutive groundball outs. Cook pumped his fist as he walked off the mound.
Cook escaped another jam in the 11th, thanks to a throw from Pittsburgh center fielder Nate McClouth that nailed Dioner Navarro sliding into home with what would have been the winning run.
Playing before a packed house, with nearly 50 Hall of Fame players on hand and flashbulbs glittering in the stands, the NL played with the kind of spirit manager Clint Hurdle hoped they would.
For the last two weeks, Hurdle made it clear that beating the AL was task No. 1. He preached that message to his all-stars before today’s game. Entering Tuesday’s game, the National had not beaten the American League since 1996.
For Rockies all-star Matt Holliday, the “Cathedral in the Bronx” provided another chance to shine on a grand stage. Holliday broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning, planting Ervin Santana’s 97 mph fastball into the right-field stands. It was the second homer by a Rockie in an All-Star Game. Todd Helton hit the only other one, in 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.
Hours before the game, Holliday begged off reporters questions in the crowded visitor’s clubhouse.
“I’ve got to get to the cages,” he said, a look of grim determination on his face.
It appeared the NL would win the game before it was sent to extra innings. Holding a 3-2 lead in the eighth, Mets left-hander closer Billy Wagner couldn’t slam the door with two outs in the eighth. Hurdle, playing it by the book, brought in Wagner to face left-hander Grady Sizemore. Sizemore singled to right and stole second without a throw. He scored on rookie Evan Longoria’s double to left, tying the game.
The NL had taken its lead in the top of the inning. Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada led off with a single, stole second and moved to third when Navarro threw the ball into center field. Tejada scored on a sacrifice fly by the Padres’ Adrian Gonzalez.
Hurdle, it turns out, made a wise choice starting Brewers power pitcher Ben Sheets. Zinging a 95-mph fastball, he struck out three in his two scoreless innings. He walked Milton Bradley and Joe Mauer in the second, but got out of trouble by getting Dustin Pedroia to fly out to the center fielder Kosuke Fukudome to end the inning.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
