KKANSAS CITY, Mo. — For all the hype, the 2012 MLB All-Star Game was virtually decided in the first inning as Melky Cabrera and Pablo Sandovar of the San Francisco Giants led the National League to an easy 8-0 blowout over the American League at Kauffman Stadium.
Cabrera, who was traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Giants in the off-season, hit a first-inning home run off of AL starter Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers to power the NL to its biggest blowout in All-Star Game history. He was later named the game’s MVP.
Sandoval, a slow-footed slugger for the Giants nicknamed “Kung Fu Panda”, added a bases-loaded triple in the first inning – the first bases-loaded triple in All-Star Game history.
Fellow Giant Matt Cain picked up the win – the third in a row for the National League. Verlander picked up the loss for the AL.
Former St. Louis Cardinal manager Tony LaRussa, who retired after leading the team to the World Series crown in 2011, led the National League to the victory.
Atlanta Brave star Chipper Jones, playing in his final All-Star Game at age 40 after announcing that this season would be his last, singled to right in his final All-Star at-bat.
Kansas City Royals star Billy Butler – the lone Royals player on the AL squad, grounded out to third base and struck out in his two All-Star at-bats.
