Red Sox have quiet night at 2009 All-Star Game

Despite having six players in the 2009 All-Star Game, the Boston Red Sox contingent was mainly quiet Tuesday night – save for AL East rival Carl Crawford robbing a would-be home run given up by eventual winning pitcher Jonathan Papelbon.

Papelbon came in for the seventh inning and threw 10 pitches to three batters, but the one that stood out was a blast by Colorado’s Brad Hawpe to lead off the inning.

Crawford – named the game’s MVP – made a leaping catch up the eight-foot wall and snared the shot, preserving a 3-3 tie.

Papelbon gave up another long fly ball out to Miguel Tejada and then struck out Jayson Werth to end the inning.

Sadly, first-time All-Star Tim Wakefield – the oldest first-time All-Star since Satchel Paige in 1952 – did not appear in the game as he was held back for a potential extra innings situation. Josh Beckett did not pitch, not a surprise since he was coming off a complete game victory on Sunday. 

Left fielder Jason Bay started and batted fifth, going 1-2 with a single. Kevin Youkilis would pinch-hit in the 8th, stroking a single. Fan-voted starter Dustin Pedroia did not make the trip due to an ongoing family medical situation.

All-Star Notes

– The American League won the game 4-3 in just two hours and 31 minutes, the quickest game since 1988.

– The AL is now 12-0-1 since 1997, the longest unbeaten streak in the game’s history. In those games, the AL have outscored the NL 76-48 and out-homered them 21-10

– The AL’s four straight one-run wins tied an All-Star record.

– The game was the first without a home run since the 1999 affair at Boston’s Fenway Park.