NL Stars Finally Shine

ANAHEIM, Calif. - If the Phillies can win a third consecutive National League pennant, they now know that the World Series would begin at Citizens Bank Park.

For the first time since 1996, when the game was at Veterans Stadium, the National League was victorious in an All-Star Game. The NL rallied for a 3-1 win Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.

Braves catcher Brian McCann delivered the biggest play of the game, a double off White Sox reliever Matt Thornton in the seventh that cleared the bases (which included two former Phillies, Scott Rolen and Marlon Byrd).

The NL's victory earned the league home-field advantage in the World Series, and Phillies ace Roy Halladay welcomed the opportunity.

"It's big for whoever is there, but especially in Philadelphia with great fans," he said. "It is an advantage being able to be at home."

With all the talk of 2010's being the year of the pitcher, well, the National League continued that trend. The NL also showed off its rising stars.

All eight elected National League starting-position players were younger than 30, the first time that has happened since the American League fielded a young team in 1962, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The first two pitchers that National League and Phillies manager Charlie Manuel used were 26 years old. They both dominated.

Starter Ubaldo Jimenez, of the Colorado Rockies, needed 25 pitches to complete two innings. Josh Johnson, who struck out the side in the third inning, threw 29 pitches in his two innings.

The National League rode its pitching all night.

The two Phillies in the game, Halladay and Ryan Howard, had no effect on the outcome.

Halladay, who leads the majors by a wide margin in innings pitched with 148 at the break, had to warm up twice before he entered in the sixth inning. On Monday, Halladay said the biggest difference for him at an All-Star Game is the change in preparation.

The first pitch he threw was hit. Derek Jeter blooped a Halladay fastball into right-center. Byrd dove headfirst for the ball but it nicked his glove and fell to the grass.

Halladay struck out the next batter, Paul Konerko, with a high fastball. On a 3-2 count, pinch-runner Elvis Andrus was running. McCann double-clutched his throw to second but Andrus overslid the bag and was tagged out by Brandon Phillips.

Again, Halladay reached a 3-2 count on the next batter, Josh Hamilton. He singled through the hole on the right side.

Manuel had seen enough.

Halladay threw 17 pitches and couldn't finish the inning, but that mattered less to Manuel on this day. Manager and pitcher had a brief conversation on the mound - an event this season that often has resulted in Halladay's convincing Manuel that he can keep going.

That wasn't the priority Tuesday.

"They were trying to keep it as short as possible," Halladay said of his outing. "That's the great thing about having your coaches on the staff. They can help you out there."

Washington closer Matt Capps relieved Halladay and ensured that his inherited runner would not score by striking out Boston slugger David Ortiz looking to end the inning.

The Phillies will give Halladay a few extra days to rest after his all-star appearance. His first start in the second half will come Sunday against the Cubs in Chicago.

Howard started at designated hitter and batted cleanup, going 0 for 2. His second at-bat came against former teammate Cliff Lee. The two had a chance to chat Monday. Howard said he joked with Lee about the many uniforms he has accumulated in the last year.

Howard watched the first Lee pitch, an 89-m.p.h. fastball, go by. He swung at the second pitch, a 92-m.p.h. fastball, and grounded out weakly to second.

Lee needed just six pitches to retire the NL in order.

The first run of the game was unearned, courtesy of an error by a pitcher. Dodgers lefthander Hong-Chih Kuo, who was one of the final injury replacements named to the game, walked Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria to begin the fifth inning. Twins catcher Joe Mauer hit a swinging bunt to Kuo's right. He fielded the ball cleanly but his throw sailed over first baseman Adrian Gonzalez's head.

Runners advanced to second and third, setting up a sacrifice fly by Robinson Cano, the Yankees' second baseman.

But that was all the American League could manage against the talented National League pitching staff.

Howard welcomed the end of the NL's slump.

"It feels good to be a part of the team that ended it," he said, "so we don't have to answer those questions anymore."