Americans Win 2009 All-Star Game 10-6

  The best MVABL players took to the field Sunday afternoon, August 9, at Athletes in Action’s Sports Complex for the 2009 All-Star Game. The American Team, comprised of players from the Sox, Indians, Royals, and Shockers, defeated the National Team, which included members of the Astros, Rangers, Slammers, Dragons, and Thunder, by a score of 10-6.

Both squads jumped out for a pair of runs in the first inning. In the top of the first, Phil Crisp (Astros) was hit by a pitch from American starter Jeff Cherry (Shockers). Matt Owens (Slammers) followed with a walk. The Thunder’s Drew York then singled in both runners for a quick 2-0 lead by the Nationals. The Americans answered in the bottom of the inning off of starter Shawn Haffner (Astros). Taylor Hause (Shockers) hit a solo home run. Cody Kaglic (Sox) followed with a triple to right field and was plated later in the inning on an RBI fielder’s choice from Thomas Fluty (Shockers). The Americans took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the second inning as the Shockers drove in two more runs. This time Shockers third baseman Doc Hayes got in the act and homered to start off the second. Hause singled in the Indians’ Joe Parsley to give the Americans a 4-2 lead.

Drew York continued his hot All-Star weekend by driving in Owens with an RBI single in the third to cut the lead to 4-3. The Nationals regained the lead off Cherry in the fourth as Gregg Foster (Astros) led off with a double, and after a Matt Addis (Astros) infield single, Foster would scamper home on a wild pitch to tie the game. The Rangers’ Steve Marshall hit a sacrifice fly to right as Addis scored the go-ahead run. The lead was short-lived as the Americans tied the game at 5-5 when Parsley followed a Hayes double with an RBI single of new Nationals pitcher Brad Clark (Rangers).

The Americans brought in Royals’ reliever Kevin Reynolds to try and halt another Nationals comeback attempt. Reynolds answered with two hitless innings, striking out two. Justin Dunlap (Slammers) came in to pitch the sixth inning and looked sharp getting two quick outs. But Sox pinch-hitter Dan Marsh reached on a single. Then, Lee Jury (Indians) delivered a line-drive to right field that just barely escaped a diving attempt by Marshall that rolled all the way to the wall, as Jury high-tailed it around the basepaths for the first inside-the-park home run in MVABL All-Star history.

Clinging to a 7-5 lead, the Americans went to Mitch Jones (Sox) on the mound. The Americans once again had no answer for Thunder slugger Drew York, as York pumped in his fourth RBI of the game with a single that scored Brad Clark in the seventh inning. Gregg Foster (Astros) pitched a scoreless inning for the Nationals to keep his team within one run. The Americans put the game away in the bottom of the eighth off of Nationals reliever David Moss (Thunder) scoring three times off RBI singles from Hause and Brandon Ward (Sox).

The National team could only muster eight hits on the day, led by York who finished 3-for-3 with 4 RBIs and a walk. The American squad got multi-hit performances from Taylor Hause, Cody Kaglic (Sox), Doc Hayes, Joe Parsley, and Dan Marsh. Kevin Reynolds picked up the win and Mitch Jones recorded the save, the first save in All-Star game history. Justin Dunlap suffered the loss.

Taylor Hause of the Warren County Shockers was named the game’s Most Valuable Player as he went 3-for-5 with a double, home run, 3 RBIs, and a run scored. Other players up for the award included: Drew York, Lee Jury (1-for-2 HR, 2RBI), and Doc Hayes (2-for-2 HR, double, 2 runs, RBI).

For the first time in All-Star game history, a non-player picks up the Defensive Player award, which in this game became a Defense Play award. Since the game was void of any outstanding, show-stopping plays in the field, the honor went to a fan. “Super fan” Steve Dunlap made an outstanding grab of a foul ball with his bare hands to take home the $25 gift card to BW-3s.

Previous All-Star Award winners: MVP – Brennan Glass (Sox) 2008; Chris Tabler (Sox) 2007; Gabe Thomas (Woodpeckers) 2005; Ron Runyon (Royals) 2004

Defense – P Dustin Lacy (Sox) 2008; SS Jacob Robinson (Rangers) 2007; P Toby Stewart (Woodpeckers) 2005; SS Mike Leach (Astros) 2004

Results of the 2009 HR Derby. A record 26 players joined the HR Derby lineup in an attempt to win a brand new Nintendo Wii game system. Eight players hit home runs during the first round of the HR Derby: Phil Crisp, David Moss, Brandon Howard, Chris Jergens, Jon Venters, Matt Addis, Chris Jergens, Josh Jaynes, and Drew York. With multiple first round homers, Moss, Howard, Jergens, and Jaynes advanced to the second round. David Moss and Chris Jergens each launched one home run in Round 2, bringing up Josh Jaynes of the Slammers for a chance to win it. And with the help of his dad pitching to him, Jaynes was able to send two balls deep to take home the crown and the Wii.