National League Breaks Losing Streak in Baseball All-Star Game

After winning the 1996 All Star Game, the National League had a record of 40-26-1 in the Mid Summer Classic. Since that time, it’s been mostly downhill for the senior circuit; the American League had gone 21-3-1 going into the 2023 game in Seattle on July 11th. The American League had won nine in a row since the National League’s last victory in 2012 (there was no game due to Covid in 2020).

The American League held a narrow 3-1 lead going into the eighth inning, and was six outs away from win number 10 in a row. Baltimore Orioles pitcher Felix Bautista walked the Philadelphia Phillies’ Nick Castellanos to lead off the inning. He was followed by the Colorado Rockies’ Elias Diaz, who was making his All-Star Game debut, and it was a good one. Diaz hit a home run to left field, giving the National League the lead at 3-2. The lead held up, and the National League ended the losing streak. The American League holds the overall lead in the series at 47-44-2. Diaz, with the game winning homer, was named the All-Star Game MVP, the first Rockies player to be so named.

The American League will attempt to start a new winning streak in next year’s game, to be held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the Texas Rangers home ballpark.