The American League shut out the National League 4-0 in Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, with Houston’s lone representative, Yordan Alvarez, playing a role in the decisive first-inning rally before the AL’s pitching staff did the rest.
Alvarez, batting second and starting at designated hitter, lined a base hit into center field against Phillies starter Cristopher Sánchez to open the scoring sequence in the top of the first. Sánchez walked Shea Langeliers before Junior Caminero’s groundout advanced both runners, then Bobby Witt Jr. walked to load the bases. Cody Bellinger delivered a two-run single to make it 2-0, and Ben Rice followed with an RBI single of his own to push the lead to 3-0 before Riley Greene struck out to end the inning. Alvarez went hitless in his other trip to the plate, flying out against Eduardo Rodriguez in the second before he was replaced by pinch-hitter Yandy Díaz in the fifth.
Dylan Cease worked a scoreless first inning to earn the win, while Sánchez took the loss after allowing three runs in his single inning of work. The AL bullpen held the National League to just three hits over the final eight innings. The AL’s fourth run came in the eighth, when Miguel Vargas, who had entered the game as a pinch-runner for Caminero earlier in the contest, hit a solo home run off NL reliever Justin Wrobleski.
The game carried some notable moments beyond the final score. Caminero left in the third inning after being hit by a pitch on the hand; X-rays came back clean, and he told reporters afterward that he expects to be back in Tampa Bay’s lineup when the Rays resume play Friday. Alvarez and fellow Houston connection Justin Verlander, who made a well-known gesture toward Philadelphia fans during the 2022 World Series, both drew loud boos from the Citizens Bank Park crowd during pregame introductions, a reception tied to the city’s long memory of that series. Verlander, who has previously downplayed the incident as good-natured ribbing with fans, took the reaction in stride.
Alvarez heads into the second half leading the AL in homers (31) and RBIs (70), and he was Houston’s only All-Star selection this year—Houston hasn’t sent a smaller delegation since 2014, when Altuve alone carried the flag.
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