AT&T Park is known for its spacious dimensions, but the American League found resourceful ways Tuesday night to supply speed and power in a 5-4 victory over the National League that extended its dominance in the All-Star Game to 10 straight games.
Ichiro Suzuki, who reportedly is on the verge of signing a five-year extension worth $100 million with Seattle, ignited the AL’s victory with the first inside-the-park home run in the classic’s 78-game history.
The victory assured the AL it will keep the home-field advantage for the World Series for the third consecutive year.
The Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano delivered a two-out, two-run homer off Seattle closer J.J. Putz in the ninth to pull the NL within the final margin.
Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Suzuki hit a drive to right-center — near one of the deepest parts of the park. The ball struck the wall and caromed away from Cincinnati’s Ken Griffey Jr. toward the right-field line.
Suzuki’s speed did the rest as he easily beat Griffey’s throw that skipped through the infield to give the AL a 2-1 lead and rejuvenate a chilly crowd of 43,965.
It also marked the first inside-the-park homer for the speedy Suzuki, who could become a free agent at the end of the 2007 season. Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay’s lone representative known more for his speed, padded the AL’s lead to 3-1 with a homer off Milwaukee reliever Francisco Cordero.
Crawford also robbed Soriano of a hit by snagging his line drive in the fifth.
Pinch-hitter Victor Martinez of Cleveland provided insurance with a two-run homer off the New York Mets’ Billy Wagner that barely cleared the left-field fence.
This event started as a tribute to two San Francisco greats — Hall of Fame center-fielder Willie Mays and Giants slugger Barry Bonds.
