AL Keeps Its Edge

The All-Stars from the American and National leagues played their game unremarkably, save a couple of home runs, a big lead that was plenty, and a streak that reached nine.

The American League won, 7-5, at Comerica Park on Tuesday night, so it will have home-field advantage in the World Series, a midseason benefit the Boston Red Sox rode to a four-game sweep over the St. Louis Cardinals last October.

Nine months later, with the same managers in the dugouts, Miguel Tejada hit an early home run and was the most valuable player, Mark Buehrle pitched two scoreless innings and was the winner, and the National League went another year without a victory, a string of eight losses and one tie that dates to 1997.

In baseball’s third year of “This One Counts,” few dwell on the ramifications until October. But catcher Jason Varitek of the Red Sox has felt the poise of two early home games and their influence on an unlikely championship.

“They put something at the end there,” he said. “They put home-field advantage. Having been there last year, we really understand the importance of it. Having won and been in that situation, it’s easy to look at it that way. Very easy.”

If the Red Sox are to defend their championship to the end, then they will have Tejada and Mark Teixeira, who also homered, to thank, along with Ichiro Suzuki, who singled home two runs in the fourth inning. Suzuki’s soft hit ran the score to 5-0, and Teixeira’s two-run homer off Dontrelle Willis pushed the lead to 7-0 in the sixth.

AL Manager Terry Francona’s first five pitchers threw mini shutouts, beginning with Buehrle, through Bartolo Colon, Johan Santana, Matt Clement and Jon Garland. Mariano Rivera struck out Morgan Ensberg for the final out.

As Rivera, the New York Yankee closer, trotted from the bullpen, Red Sox outfielder Johnny Damon muttered, “Come on, Mo,” drawing a chuckle from his manager.

“I bet I never would have heard you say that,” Francona said, adding, “You know, for one night, it was pretty cool.”

NL starter Chris Carpenter did not give up a run in his inning, but the next three -- John Smoltz, who was the loser, Roy Oswalt and Livan Hernandez -- did, and so did Willis. When the NL bats livened -- Andruw Jones hit a two-run home run against designated villain Kenny Rogers, and Miguel Cabrera, Luis Gonzalez and Carlos Lee drove in runs -- the game was running out of innings, and a mist fell over Rivera’s final fastball.

The game lacked a close feel, and a bit of its usual familiarity. There were 22 first-time All-Stars, and there were starters named Abreu, Eckstein and Roberts. The home crowd had its favorite in Tiger catcher Ivan Rodriguez, but he was hitless in two plate appearances.

“I think we understand we haven’t won in a long time,” NL Manager Tony La Russa said. “But, you know, we had a real good group, some first-timers, and they hadn’t lost before.... Pitchers were about even, they had a couple bigger flies and a couple double plays. Doesn’t look to me like a frustrated club; just got beat.”

After two days, a lot of friendly waves, a record-setting home-run contest and a game that plodded in many places, they all scattered again. Giants to Los Angeles. Yankees to Boston. Diamondbacks to San Diego. Angels to Minnesota.

“The fun, it kind of goes back to that comfort zone, being back with your teammates,” Arizona’s Gonzalez said. “Now you go back to doing what you do, your own clubhouse, your own guys.

“All these players, as soon as they pull out of here, tomorrow they start thinking about the second half of their seasons and getting their teams into the playoffs.”

Indeed, the game returns to its regular-season programming, with injuries to heal and strokes to be found and division races to be decided. The players return to lineups and situations just as they left them, the Red Sox ahead in the AL East and the Yankees apparently closing, the NL West looking for someone capable, the Chicago White Sox and Washington Nationals seemingly real, the Angels having taken seven days off for the All-Star break, counting the four-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.

Before they know it, the Yankees will awaken in a Boston hotel room, four games against the Red Sox starting Thursday night, 2 1/2 games in the standings between them.

“It’s a special thing for baseball,” Varitek said. “A good thing. A good way to start the second half.”

One more day, one long nap, and they go again. Angels Vladimir Guerrero, Bartolo Colon and Garret Anderson were going straight to Minnesota. Anderson shook his head, his schedule still taut.

“I think most guys are looking for their off day tomorrow,” he said, smiling. “We’re not rushing back. We’re rushing to get that off day.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

A quiet night

How Dodgers and Angels did in Tuesday night’s All-Star game:

Garret Anderson, Angels

* Hitless in two at-bats after taking over in left field in the fourth inning.

Bartolo Colon, Angels

* Pitched a scoreless third inning, giving up a hit to Carlos Beltran.

Vladimir Guerrero, Angels

* Singled against Dontrelle Willis leading off the sixth inning, his only hit in three at-bats.

Cesar Izturis, Dodgers

* Tipped his cap before the game, wasn’t able to play because of a hamstring injury.

Jeff Kent, Dodgers

* Struck out in his only at-bat.

*

RESULTS

2005 -- American, 7-5

2004 -- American, 9-4

2003 -- American, 7-6

2002 -- Tied 7-7, 11 innings

2001 -- American, 4-1

2000 -- American, 6-3

1999 -- American, 4-1

1998 -- American, 13-8

1997 -- American, 3-1

1996 -- National, 6-0

1995 -- National, 3-2

1994 -- National, 8-7, 10 innings

1993 -- American, 9-3

1992 -- American, 13-6

1991 -- American, 4-2

1990 -- American, 2-0

1989 -- American, 5-3

1988 -- American, 2-1

1987 -- National, 2-0, 13 innings

1986 -- American, 3-2

1985 -- National, 6-1

1984 -- National, 3-1

1983 -- American, 13-3

1982 -- National, 4-1

1981 -- National, 5-4

1980 -- National, 4-2

1979 -- National, 7-6

1978 -- National, 7-3

1977 -- National, 7-5

1976 -- National, 7-1

1975 -- National, 6-3

1974 -- National, 7-2

1973 -- National, 7-1

1972 -- National, 4-3, 10 innings

1971 -- American, 6-4

1970 -- National, 5-4, 12 innings

1969 -- National, 9-3

1968 -- National, 1-0

1967 -- National, 2-1, 15 innings

1966 -- National, 2-1, 10 innings

1965 -- National, 6-5

1964 -- National, 7-4

1963 -- National, 5-3

1962 -- National, 3-1

1962 -- American, 9-4

1961 -- Tied 1-1, 9 innings, rain

1961 -- National, 5-4, 10 innings

1960 -- National, 5-3

1960 -- National, 6-0

1959 -- National, 5-4

1959 -- American, 5-3

1958 -- American, 4-3

1957 -- American, 6-5

1956 -- National, 7-3

1955 -- National, 6-5, 12 innings

1954 -- American, 11-9

1953 -- National, 5-1

1952 -- National, 3-2, 5 innings, rain

1951 -- National, 8-3

1950 -- National, 4-3, 14 innings

1949 -- American, 11-7

1948 -- American, 5-2

1947 -- American, 2-1

1946 -- American, 12-0

1945 -- No Game

1944 -- National, 7-1

1943 -- American, 5-3

1942 -- American, 3-1

1941 -- American, 7-5

1940 -- National, 4-0

1939 -- American, 3-1

1938 -- National, 4-1

1937 -- American, 8-3

1936 -- National, 4-3

1935 -- American, 4-1

1934 -- American, 9-7

1933 -- American, 4-2

Associated Press

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MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

2005 -- Miguel Tejada, Balt., AL

2004 -- Alfonso Soriano, Texas, AL

2003 -- Garret Anderson, Angels, AL

2002 -- Not Awarded

2001 -- Cal Ripken Jr., Balt., AL

2000 -- Derek Jeter, N.Y., AL

1999 -- Pedro Martinez, Bos., AL

1998 -- Roberto Alomar, Balt., AL

1997 -- Sandy Alomar Jr., Cle., AL

1996 -- Mike Piazza, Dodgers, NL

1995 -- Jeff Conine, Fla., NL

1994 -- Fred McGriff, Atl., NL

1993 -- Kirby Puckett, Minn., AL

1992 -- Ken Griffey Jr., Sea., AL

1991 -- Cal Ripken Jr., Balt., AL

1990 -- Julio Franco, Texas, AL

1989 -- Bo Jackson, K.C., AL

1988 -- Terry Steinbach, Oak., AL

1987 -- Tim Raines, Mont., NL

1986 -- Roger Clemens, Bos., AL

1985 -- LaMarr Hoyt, S.D., NL

1984 -- Gary Carter, Mont., NL

1983 -- Fred Lynn, Angels, AL

1982 -- Dave Concepcion, Cin., NL

1981 -- Gary Carter, Mont., NL

1980 -- Ken Griffey Sr., Cin., NL

1979 -- Dave Parker, Pitt., NL

1978 -- Steve Garvey, Dodgers, NL

1977 -- Don Sutton, Dodgers, NL

1976 -- George Foster, Cin., NL

1975 -- Bill Madlock, Chi., NL,

and Jon Matlack, N.Y., NL

1974 -- Steve Garvey, Dodgers, NL

1973 -- Bobby Bonds, S.F., NL

1972 -- Joe Morgan, Cin., NL

1971 -- Frank Robinson, Balt., AL

1970 -- Carl Yastrzemski, Bos., AL

1969 -- Willie McCovey, S.F., NL

1968 -- Willie Mays, S.F., NL

1967 -- Tony Perez, Cin., NL

1966 -- Brooks Robinson, Balt., AL

1965 -- Juan Marichal, S.F., NL

1964 -- John Callison, Phila., NL

1963 -- Willie Mays, S.F., NL

1962 -- x-Maury Wills, Dodgers, NL

1962 -- x-Leon Wagner, Angels, AL

x-two games