WASHINGTON — Give the Astros a bat against a Dodgers pitcher in a jewel event, and some big homers happen. We saw that in last year’s epic World Series, and we saw it in Tuesday night’s 89th All-Star Game presented by Mastercard.
Astros teammates Alex Bregman and George Springer went back-to-back leading off the 10th inning against Ross Stripling, propelling the American League to an 8-6 win over the National League in a wild, dinger-driven Midsummer Classic. Bregman’s heroics earned him the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet.
Those homers added to what was already a record-breaking total in an All-Star Game. The previous mark of six, last reached in 1971, had been broken by Scooter Gennett’s game-tying two-run shot off Edwin Diaz in the bottom of the ninth. But Bregman, making his first All-Star appearance, and Springer, making his second, wasted no time going deep in succession to start the 10th and pad that total.
Perhaps it was a fitting sequence of events, given that the Astros and Dodgers combined to set a record for home runs in a World Series last fall.
Anthony Castrovince has been a reporter for MLB.com since 2004. Read his columns, listen to his podcast and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince.
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