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MVP Crawford saves the day in AL's 4-3 victory

The Associated Press

Carl Crawford snares a potential home run off the bat of the Rockies' Brad Hawpe.

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By TONY FABRIZIO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 15, 2009

Updated: 07/15/2009 12:04 pm

ST. LOUIS - Joe Maddon beat Charlie Manuel this time, and Carl Crawford earned MVP honors in the 80th All-Star Game on Tuesday night.

A game that had a distinct Tampa Bay flavor, despite no Rays players in the starting lineup after Evan Longoria was scratched, ended with Maddon managing the American League to a 4-3 victory over Manuel's National League team.

Of course, Manuel's Phillies beat Maddon's Rays in five games in the World Series last fall.

Crawford was 1-for-3, singling to lead off the fifth inning, and his leaping catch in the seventh robbed the NL's Brad Hawpe of a home run.

"I've been talking to people about this all year: Carl has become a better baseball player since I first met him in 2006," Maddon said. "He's a better defender, better thrower, better hitter, better base runner. … It's all because of his work."

Crawford said the catch might have been the best of his career.

"I don't think I've ever robbed a home run before," he said. "I picked a good time to do it."

Crawford's play highlighted the performances of the four Rays players who dressed for the game.

With the gamed tied at 3 in the bottom of the seventh, Colorado's Hawpe hit a drive to the 8-foot wall in left-center field that guards the visitor's bullpen. Crawford ran to the spot and leaped to catch the ball just above the padded railing.

"I don't know that I've ever seen Carl go over a wall," Maddon said. "The way he got to the position on the ball was great. And the catch, obviously, was fantastic."

Crawford was the first Rays player to play. He entered in the fifth when he pinch-hit in the pitcher's spot, and he singled to center field against the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley.

The major-league leader in stolen bases with 44, Crawford didn't get a clean chance to steal.

He broke for second base on a 1-1 pitch, but Ichiro Suzuki fouled it off. Ichiro fouled off the next pitch, too, and then he hit a ground ball to second baseman Chase Utley, who spun and threw to Hanley Ramirez for the force out at second.

The American League tied the game at 3 in the inning, though, on a two-out double by Minnesota's Joe Mauer that drove in Ichiro.

Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett and second baseman Ben Zobrist also played. Bartlett entered in the sixth inning and grounded out in the eighth. Zobrist pinch-hit in the eighth after the AL had taken a 4-3 lead and struck out. He took over at second in the bottom of the inning.

Carlos Peña got as close as the on-deck circle in the fourth inning. He would have batted in the pitcher's spot, but with two out and Michael Young on base, Toronto's Aaron Hill grounded out to short.
Even with starting third baseman Longoria removed from the roster early Tuesday because of a finger infection, the Rays had their highest number of All-Stars. The game marked the third time the Rays had more than one player.

Longoria was voted in by the fans, Bartlett and Crawford by the players and Zobrist and Peña were added by Maddon. Peña was a late addition after Boston's Dustin Pedroia pulled out because of family issues.

Losing Longoria left the Rays without a starter, but with Maddon managing and coaches Tom Foley and George Hendrick working the third- and first-base boxes, respectively, Tampa Bay was well-represented early.

Maddon managed an All-Star Game for the first time — he was the bench coach in 2003 after the Angels won the 2002 World Series — and he brought his six-man coaching staff.

Jim Hickey, Steve Henderson, Dave Martinez and Bobby Ramos also were in uniform.

This was the second consecutive year a Rays player or players played a significant role in the game's outcome.

In the AL's 4-3 victory last year at Yankee Stadium, Longoria's pinch-hit double in the eighth tied the game, catcher Dioner Navarro's single in the 15th advanced the eventual winning run, and Scott Kazmir, two days after throwing 104 pitches in a start at Cleveland, pitched the 15th to earn the win.

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