MLB All-Star Game: 24 Latinos Showcase The Summer Classic As The American League Win 5-3

Derek Jeter’s All Star Game swan song was a showcase of young American league sluggers, Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera. The American League defeated the National League 5-3 on Tuesday night behind brilliant bullpen play down the stretch.

The National League All-Stars were slight favorites before the game based on their young starting pitchers, Adam Wainright and Clayton Kershaw. Early on however, it was the young offensive stars of the American League as All-Star Game MVP; Mike Trout tripled in his first at bat and scored on a home run by Miguel Cabrera. The game showcased a great young crop of rising Latino stars in the sport. Almost half of the 50 selected players chosen to the game held in Minneapolis, Minnesota were of Latino origin. 24 players in total were either American born Latinos with Latin descent, or hailed from Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

The leading all-star voter getter was Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays who had almost 6 million votes. Cubanos made a big presence in the game this year with stars Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox, Yoenis Cespedes of the Oakland Athletics, Alexei Ramirez of the Chicago White Sox and Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds all coming from the island nation.

Puig highlighted four Latinos who started for the National League all-stars, while Miguel Cabrera led the five Latino all-stars who started for the American League.

The night belonged to 40 year-old Yankee’s shortstop Derek Jeter however who was playing in his final All Star Game. Jeter started the game with a leadoff double and finished the game with two hits and a run scored.

The National League tied the game in the 4^th inning after a double by Milwaukee Brewer’s catcher; Jonathan Lucroy scored Dodgers second baseman, Dee Gordon. It would not last though as the American League took the lead for good in the bottom of the 5^th inning after MVP Mike Trout doubled in Alexei Ramirez.

The two run lead would turn out to be all that the American League bullpen needed as AL manager John Farrell brought in five straight closers starting with his own Red Sox closer, Koji Uerhara in the top of the 6^th inning. Hometown hero, and Minnesota Twins closer, Glen Perkins, recorded the save with a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth.