The Indians were among the most well represented teams this year for the All-Star Game as Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar and Francisco Lindor were all selected as reserves. While Salazar was kept out of the game due to some discomfort in his throwing elbow, the other two played. Salazar’s injury was not serious enough for him to be placed on the DL, but was enough that it wasn’t worth pushing it in an exhibition game. He is still expected to make his next start on July 19th.
Corey Kluber
After Chris Sale started the game and allowed a home run to Kris Bryant in the first, Kluber was the first man out of the pen as was expected prior to the start of the game. The inning started with the AL down 1-0 and former NL MVP Buster Posey coming to the plate. On the first pitch, Posey lined it right back to Kluber and, on the deflection, Jose Altuve was able to make the play and get the out at first. Kluber was uninjured on the play.
Kluber’s second foe was Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs who took two balls before Kluber worked the count back to even. On a 2-2 pitch, Rizzo grounded out hard to Eric Hosmer at first. The third and final batter to face Kluber was the Marlins’ Marcell Ozuna. Kluber started the outfielder off with a curve for ball one, then came back to lead the count 1-2. After another ball, Ozuna fouled two off before taking a fastball for strike three to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Royals Hosmer and Salvador Perez hit home runs (with Mookie Betts on for the latter) to give the AL a 3-1 lead and make Kluber the pitcher of record. Because the AL didn’t lose that lead at any point, Kluber earned the win in his first career All-Star Game.
Francisco Lindor
Lindor came into the game for the first time in the bottom of the fifth, pinch hitting for Xander Bogaerts with two outs and none on against Braves pitcher Julio Teheran. After hitting an awquard foul ball and reaching a 1-2 count, Lindor popped out to the short stop just into the grass in center field.
In his second second at bat, Lindor had a great chance to blow the game open with a two run lead, two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh. Pittsburgh’s Mark Melancon had just walked Edwin Encarnacion to load the bases after coming in for Jon Lesterand he came right at Lindor. On a first pitch fastball, Lindor hit a ground ball up the middle that was fielded by Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy and thrown to first for the final out of the inning. The play by Murphy was one of many excellent defensive plays made by both teams during the game. Lindor did not get a chance to field a ball himself.
Final Score: American League 4 – National League 2
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