Sports

Sale solid, Kimbrel wins as AL beats NL

MIAMI — Seattle's Robinson Cano hit a leadoff home run in the 10th inning off Wade Davis of the Chicago Cubs, and the American League topped the National League 2-1 in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

It was the first extra-inning home run in an All-Star Game since Tony Perez hit one exactly 50 years ago -- July 11, 1967. Perez threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches before Tuesday's game.

The AL won the Midsummer Classic for the fifth straight time, pulling even in the all-time series -- 43-43-2.

Cleveland's Andrew Miller allowed a two-out walk in the 10th, but retired the Dodgers Cody Bellinger to end the game for the AL.

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina homered for the NL.

So the AL gets pride and bragging rights, but no edge in October now. Major League Baseball no longer awards home-field advantage for the World Series based on the result of the All-Star Game, ending that policy this year after 14 seasons.

Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale pitched two scoreless innings in his second consecutive All-Star Game start.

Sale was helped out of a second-inning jam by a double-play ground ball hit by Washington's Ryan Zimmerman after the Nationals Daniel Murphy and Colorado's Nolan Arenado had both singled to start the inning.

Zimmerman grounded to second baseman Jose Altuve of Houston, who flipped to his teammate Carlos Correa to start a 4-6-3 double play. Miami's Marcell Ozuna struck out to end the inning.

Sale topped out at 100 MPH, the first time he's reached 100 in a game since 2010, when he was a rookie with the White Sox.  Sale told FOX Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal he just "let it fly," due to the shortened outing he expected.

Mookie Betts went 0-2, grounding out to first base against Carlos Martinez in his first at-bat to lead off the third inning and flying out to centerfield against Alex Wood in his second at-bat in the fifth inning.

Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth inning, maintaining a 1-1 tie although the game-winning run advanced to third base. Kimbrel struck out the Mets Michael Conforto to end the ninth and send the game to extra innings.

Since Kimbrel was still in the lineup when Cano homered, he was the game's winning pitcher.