Though the National League Team lost the 2015 MLB All-Star Game, three Pittsburgh Pirates made contributions.
Andrew McCutchen started for the NL and got the chance to bat leadoff. When he batted in the bottom of the sixth he was 2-for-10 in his career at the All-Star Game.
McCutchen faced Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays who has earned some consideration for the AL Cy Young Award. The Pirates center fielder wasted no time hitting a home run to left field to cut the NL deficit to one run at the time.
Gerrit Cole replaced NL starting pitcher Zach Greinke in the top of the third inning.
Cole got Alcides Escobar to fly out to McCutchen and then struck out Mike Trout. Trout, who homered to lead off the game, swung at a pitch out of the zone to go down on strikes.
Though Cole walked Josh Donaldson, he got Albert Pujols to line out to McCutchen to end his outing.
Mark Melancon pitched the top of the eighth inning and had a strong start. He struck out both Brett Gardner and Russell Martin looking. Melancon then got two strikes on Brian Dozier, however the Minnesota Twins second baseman hit a solo home run. Jose Iglesias grounded out to end the inning.
A.J. Burnett was not used in the 6-3 American League victory.
With Trout who with his All-Star Game MVP award has won the honor in consecutive years and McCutchen’s homers it was the second time ever the two leadoff hitters have gone deep. The other time was in 1965.
The Pirates will resume play Friday with a road series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
