der 54-52 lead but Jade Clarke expertly controlled the closin

SAN DIEGO -- Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez made sure the Kansas City Royals will start at home, sweet home if they get a chance to defend their World Series title.The Royals duo homered off former Kansas City teammate Johnny Cueto during a six-pitch span in the second inning of Tuesdays All-Star Game. Hosmer added an RBI single to become the contests MVP. And the American League beat the National League 4-2 for its fourth straight win in the Midsummer Classic.David Ortiz found himself in the middle of the most touching moment at Petco Park, embraced by his AL teammates near first base after exiting his final All-Star Game. The popular Big Papi plans to retire at 40 after this season with the?Boston Red Sox.Kris Bryant of the?Chicago Cubs?led the parade of sparkling young talent with a first-inning home run. Dellin Betances flashed his 100 mph heat. And?Houston Astros?reliever Will Harris came on to throw a called third strike past?St. Louis Cardinals?rookie Aledmys Diaz on a 3-2 pitch on the outside corner with the bases loaded to end the eighth.Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera pitched a hitless sixth for the AL, which will open the World Series at home for the 11th time in 14 years since the All-Star winner was used to determine the hosts for Games 1 and 2.Kansas City became baseball royalty last fall, bursting to a 2-0 lead over the New York Mets at Kauffman Stadium, where Cueto pitched a two-hitter in the second game. The Royals won in five games for their first title since 1985.This season, Kansas City is languishing at 45-43, seven games off the AL Central lead and in the middle of the wild-card race as attention turns to which teams will be buyers and sellers as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches.The?Cleveland Indians?Corey Kluber pitched a 1-2-3 second inning for the win, and Zach Britton got the save for the AL, which cut its All-Star Game deficit to 43-42, with two ties.Ortiz, Bostons beloved designated hitter, wore spikes with gold-colored bottoms and matching batting gloves to mark his 10th All-Star selection and delivered the AL batting order to umpires at home plate.Ortiz hit a smash down the first-base line that Anthony Rizzo snagged to rob him of a potential RBI double in the first inning and walked against Jose Fernandez in the third.When Edwin Encarnacion came out to pinch run for him, Ortiz waved to the crowd, then his AL teammates came out of the dugout to exchange hugs as the crowd of 42,386 rose in tribute.I was supposed to hit a home run in my second at-bat. My boy [Fernandez] told me he was going to throw me a fastball, and the first pitch was a changeup, Ortiz said.Then 3-2, he threw me a slider, and Im like, Are you trying to break my back? But he said it was the catchers fault.Fernandez admitted of facing Ortiz, I couldnt believe that I was actually pitching to him. We both looked at each other and smiled.The 23-year-old Miami Marlins ace said, He signed the jersey I brought for him.Ortiz delivered a pregame speech to his mates.You dont get here with a good name or a good family, Ortiz said. You have to put up the numbers. I told them that they have to do that for their whole career.The All-Star Game returned to San Diego for the first time since 1992 at Jack Murphy Stadium. Just before this first pitch, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred joined Rod Carew, his family and the family of late Padres great Tony Gwynn and named the batting titles after the two Hall of Famers, giving Gwynn the NL honor and Carew the AL championship.Gwynn died of salivary gland cancer two years ago at age 54.Sailors dressed in white lined the foul lines and outfield warning tracks for the national anthems. The Tenors, a British Columbia-based group, changed an O Canada lyric to Were all brothers and sisters. All lives matter to the great, and one held up a sign reading All Lives Matter.Randy Jones threw out the ceremonial first pitch and former Padres All-Star closer Trevor Hoffman helped open, bringing the game ball to the mound from the bullpen accompanied by AC/DCs Hells Bells.With an NL ballpark hosting for the second year in a row in what will be a streak of at least four (counting upcoming All-Star Games in Miami and Washington, D.C.), the AL wore white uniforms, hit last and used the Padres clubhouse on the first-base side. Ball boys in retro-style mustard-and-mud Padres uniforms lent a San Diego feel to Petco Park, which opened in 2004.There was a home run on the games fourth pitch for the second straight year; Bryant connected on a 96 mph Chris Sale fastball with two outs.Hitters swung early in the count to beat the shadows creeping in from the left-field corner in the late-afternoon start.Bryant, who had struck out in all of his regular-seat at-bats against Sale, was part of an all-Cubs infield -- the first starting infield quartet from a single team since the 1963 Cardinals.I think a lot of us were looking first pitch, said Bryant, who played college ball for the University of San Diego. A lot of pitchers are coming into the game trying to light up the radar gun a bit.That was the highlight for the NL Central-leading Cubs, whose fan base was pumped up by the teams fast start to the season and dreams of the teams first World Series title since 1908.Mike Trout, the All-Star MVP in 2014 and 2015, singled in the first inning for a five-All-Star Game hitting streak. Only Mickey Mantle, Joe Morgan and Dave Winfield (seven each) and Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Nellie Fox (six apiece) strung together more.The National Leagues lead after Bryants shot was short-lived, with Hosmer and Perez going deep for a 3-1 lead in the second, sandwiched around Mookie Betts single. Cueto was hard to miss in the center of the field, wearing lime green and orange spikes.This morning, I got up and didnt feel well. That is not an excuse, Cueto said. I just left two pitches up, and that was the story.Hosmer, the first Kansas City player to homer in an All-Star Game since Bo Jackson in 1989, made it 4-1 in the third against Fernandez, when he hit a one-hopper off Bryants left arm and into left field for an RBI single.Marcell Ozuna cut the gap to 4-2 with an run-scoring single off Aaron Sanchez in the fourth.Cheap Jerseys . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Authentic NFL Jerseys . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. https://www.cheapnfljerseysjustwholesale.com/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Cheap NFL Jerseys . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Cheap NFL Jerseys China . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period.Manchester Thunder thrashed early favourites Team Bath 62-37 on Saturday night to tighten their grip at the top of the Vitality Netball Superleague.Thunder have won all three of their games this season and next face Loughborough Lightning, live on Sky Sports on Monday.They took an early five-goal lead which was gradually extended throughout the game, with Helen Housby, Liana Liota and Malysha Kelly playing starring roles. Sky Live: Thunder v Lightning All the details of where you can watch Loughborough Lightning v Manchester Thunder - Superleague Thunder coach Dan Ryan said: I dont think many people would have predicted that scoreline. They stepped up to the level of intensity today against a quality side who are among the favourites to win the title.Malysha was tenacious and feisty and she was a great anchor for us at the back. She might be shy and reserved but on court shes an absolute competitor and its great to see that fire form her. Loughborough Lightning take on league leaders Thunder next Lightning set themselves up for Mondays clash against Thunder with a first home win of the season, beating Celtic Dragons 58-53.ddddddddddddLightning scored the opening goal within 13 seconds and carried that momentum until the final whistle with Natalie Panagarry adeptly replacing the injured Sasha Corbin.With two minutes remaining Lightning had a slender 54-52 lead but Jade Clarke expertly controlled the closing stages for the hosts.Although we got the win, which is massively important, I was just really disappointed with the overall performance, admitted Lightning coach Karen Atkinson. Sophia Candappa helped Surrey to a simple win Reigning champions Surrey Storm made light work of Yorkshire Jets, who still havent won this season. Storm ran out 59-36 winners to draw them level on points with Lightning on six, three points behind Thunder at the top of the Superleague.Also See:Vitality Superleague fixturesTableLive on SkySportswomen ' ' '