The National League won the 2012 All-Star Game by the widest margin in history, claiming a blowout 8-0 victory at beautiful Kauffmann Stadium. The NL got out to an early 5-0 lead over the American League, and the pitching staff held strong throughout. That included Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley, who worked one-third of an inning in the ninth.
Ryan Braun drove home the first run of the night with a double off the right field wall. After two more batters reached, Pablo Sandoval hit a bases-clearing triple down the right field line to move his club up 4-0. Dan Uggla then hit an infield single to make the score 5-0.
Matt Holliday singled home another run in the fourth inning off Matt Harrison, and then Melky Cabrera sent a two-run shot over the left field wall to push the lead to 8-0.
The National League's pitching staff was superb. Matt Cain made the start and worked two shutout innings. Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg then worked a scoreless inning each, and they were followed by Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. R.A. Dickey pitched the sixth inning and Cole Hamels worked a perfect seventh to send the game to a couple of bullpen pitchers.
Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman combined to strike out all three batters in the eighth. Miley surrendered a single Joe Mauer to begin the ninth, but he forced Elvis Andrus to groundout for the first out of the inning. Joel Hanrahan and Jonathan Papelbon both recorded an out to close out the game.
The National League will now have home field advantage in the 2012 World Series.
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