By Greg Halbleib
The American League has captured Major League Baseball bragging rights with a 4-2 win over the National League in the All-Star Game in San Diego. The Nationals struck first in an all-Chicago plate match-up as the Cubs’ Kris Bryant homered off of the White Sox Chris Sale in the first inning, but the Royals provided all of the junior circuit scoring on an Eric Hosmer home run and a two-run homer from Salvador Perez both in the second inning, and an RBI single from Hosmer his next time up to solidify his choice as the game’s MVP.
Andrew Godbold of the host Florence Freedom won the Frontier League Home Run Derby, hitting 13 long balls in the final round to beat the other finalists by one. Aaron Dudley of the CornBelters slammed six home runs in the opening round. The Frontier League All-Star Game is tonight in suburban Cincinnati with six CornBelters participating, Dudley, Santiago Chirino, Dylan Kelly, Nolan Meadows, Francisco Carillo and Mike Schweiss. The Belters return to action Friday on the road in Crestwood against the Windy City ThunderBolts.
The Chiefs were off and host Lansing tonight.
The NBA has announced new rules to make it slightly more difficult to implement the ever-increasing intentional foul strategy. Current intentional foul rules will be implemented at the end of each quarter instead of only at the end of the game. Jumping on an opponent’s back will now always be a flagrant foul.