In A Game Of Young Stars, Old Hand Cano Wins It

MIAMI—Just when it looked like Major League Baseball had a potentially embarrassing situation on its hands, a veteran stalwart was there to bail everyone out.

Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking homer in the top of the 10th inning off of Wade Davis, lifting the American League to a 2-1 victory over the National League in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

“It’s always good to be able to accomplish something great,” said Cano, who was named All-Star Game MVP. “I hit a walkoff in New York (in 2010). This is the same kind of feeling. You get to help the team win the game.”

Cano’s blast couldn’t have come at a better time. Playing the first All-Star Game that would not decide home-field advantage in the World Series since 2002, the teams battled to a 1-1 tie through nine innings, were out of position players and were down to their final four pitchers.

It was a similar situation in 2002, of course, that resulted in an All-Star Game tie in Milwaukee and led to the rule change that married home-field in the World Series to the Midsummer Classic winner.

With that arrangement no longer in effect starting this year, another tie appeared an awkward possibility before Cano drove Davis’ 1-1 knuckle-curve into the right-field bullpen to lead off the 10th. Andrew Miller wrapped it up in the bottom of the inning, helped by a sliding catch from Justin Upton in right field to rob Corey Seager of extra bases.

“With the game on the line right there you’ve kind of got to lock in. I don’t know if anybody wanted to play 11 innings,” Upton said. “I think both sides were trying to put up a run to get us out of here. Cano took care of it for us.”

Prior to Cano’s blast, the game was more notable for the technology happening between the action than the contest itself.

George Springer and Bryce Harper took their spots in their outfield wearing microphones and earpieces and gave live interviews in between pitches. In the most memorable moment of the evening, Nelson Cruz entered as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, pulled out his cellphone, and had catcher Yadier Molina take a picture of him posing with home plate umpire Joe West before entering the batters box.

“It was supposed to be selfie but I told Yadi ‘You don’t have any batting gloves, so it will be easier,’” Cruz said. “He’s a legend, you know? I think that was the only chance you have to take a picture with Joe West . . . The picture looks pretty good.”

Molina’s impact in the game wasn’t limited to his photography. A half-inning after snapping the picture, the Cardinals catcher lifted a solo home run that sailed just over the fence in right-center field to tie the score 1-1 in the seventh inning. The 34-year-old Molina became the oldest player to home in an All-Star Game since Barry Bonds in 2002.

That’s where the score remained until Cano broke the tie with his first career All-Star home run. With it he gave the American League its fifth consecutive win, and ensured another tie controversy would not envelop the sport after it dropped its World Series tie-in.

“You come here as a kid and watch (Ken) Griffey and all those guys that come to the All-Star Game and win MVP,” Cano said. “You want to get that feeling. I already got it once for winning the Home Run Derby. I wanted to have this feeling. All of them feel different. This one feels great.”