2012 MLB All-Star Game: McCutchen, Hanrahan Contribute to 8-0 NL Win
By Matt Shetler
The 2012 MLB All-Star festivities concluded Tuesday night with an 8-0 victory by the National League.
In addition to participating in the Home Run Derby Monday night, Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen played the final four innings of Tuesday’s game, going 1-for-2 on the night.
Cutch ripped a single to left off the Chicago White Sox Chris Sale in the sixth and grounded out to third against the Tampa rays Fernando Rodney in the ninth.
Hanrahan got into the game in the ninth, after warming up earlier and struck out his only batter, Billy Butler of the Kansas City Royals.
Now that that is out of the way, McCutchen and Hanrahan have the next two days off before they join their teammates in Milwaukee on Friday to begin the second half of the season.
With the Pirates in first place in the National League Central, we will see if they can finish what they started.
In addition with the National League’s victory in the Mid Summer’s Classic, the National League will have home filed advantage in the World Series, where the Bucs are 29-14 at PNC park, the best home mark in the majors.
I’m just saying what if?
All kidding aside, the second half of the season promises to be fun and entertaining and I for one can’t wait to get it started.