Yanks kings in Atlanta again

Derek Jeter earns MVP, Mariano Rivera closes it out as the AL wins its fourth straight.

By MARC TOPKIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 12, 2000

ATLANTA -- Southerners are supposed to be known for their hospitality. But around here they may be getting pretty sick of those damn Yankees.

With New York's Derek Jeter leading the way and Mariano Rivera applying the finishing touch, the American League All-Stars scored a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta-led National League squad Tuesday.

For those keeping track, the Yankees have won five straight World Series games in Atlanta and four of five regular-season contests, and they played a starring role in Tuesday's All-Star success.

"Every time we come here, it seems to be a big game: World Series, regular season, All-Star Game," said Jeter, the game's MVP for his three-hit performance. "Our team has been successful here. Maybe we seem to focus a little bit more."

The game had lost some luster because of a rash of injuries to some of the sport's brightest stars, but that played into the story line. Jeter was in the starting lineup only because elected starter Alex Rodriguez was unable to play.

Jeter had struck out in two previous All-Star at-bats, but he made the most of his opportunity to start on a steamy night before an announced Turner Field crowd of 51,323.

He doubled in the first inning off Randy Johnson, singled and scored the AL's first run in the third, and delivered what amounted to the game's key hit, a two-run single off Mets left-hander Al Leiter with the bases loaded in the fourth that put the AL ahead to stay 3-2.

"I had two All-Star at-bats before, and I struck out. So I wanted to swing early in the count and hopefully put the ball in play," said Jeter, 16-for-27 in his past six games at Turner Field.

The American League has won four straight All-Star Games, matching the fourth-longest streak, and 10 of 13. Overall, the NL holds a 40-30-1 advantage.

Tampa Bay's Fred McGriff entered the game in the seventh at first base and got two at-bats, fouling out in his first and striking out. "It turned out better than I thought it would," McGriff said.

Hometown hero Chipper Jones had three hits, including a third-inning homer, for the NL squad, and his Atlanta teammates did well, too. Andruw Jones knocked in a run, Tom Glavine pitched a scoreless inning, and Andres Galarraga, who returned after missing last season with cancer, received thunderous ovations throughout the night.

Yankees manager Joe Torre is 3-0 in All-Star Games, including a win over Atlanta's Bobby Cox at the 1997 All-Star Game in Cleveland.

The season has been one of the most offensive in history. So naturally, the early innings were marked by dominating pitching and spectacular defense, and the first run scored on a bases-loaded walk.

Johnson, who raised some eyebrows by volunteering to pitch after throwing seven innings Sunday, needed eight pitches to breeze through the first inning, allowing a one-out double.

"All the festivities don't usually give a starting pitcher enough time to warm up,' Johnson said. "Pitching on Sunday, I didn't know how I was going to throw. So to go out there and throw eight pitches, you have to be pretty pleased about that."

AL starter David Wells was equally effective through his two innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. Only four of his 27 pitches were balls.

"When you get these guys with their bats on their shoulders, it's a nice feeling," Wells said.

The AL took a 1-0 lead in the third despite getting just one single. Los Angeles' Kevin Brown, who starred at nearby Georgia Tech, loaded the bases on two walks, a Jeter single and an infield out, then walked Boston's Carl Everett, a Tampa product, to force in the run.

The NL tied the score in third when Chipper Jones hit a two-out home run to left-center off White Sox right-hander James Baldwin. Jones became the 10th player to hit an All-Star homer in his home park, the second in 28 years. Cleveland's Sandy Alomar did it in 1997.

The AL squad went ahead in the fourth with a two-run rally set up by an error by Reds shortstop Barry Larkin.

There were runners on first and second when Mike Sweeney hit what should have been a routine double-play grounder up the middle, but Larkin, an 11-time All-Star, booted the ball, allowing the AL to load the bases.

After Roberto Alomar popped out, Jeter made it hurt, delivering a two-run single to center.

Atlanta's Joneses helped the NL pull within 3-2 in the fifth. After Gary Sheffield drew a leadoff walk, Chipper Jones singled, his third hit, and Andruw Jones followed with a run-scoring single to center.

The AL added three in the ninth on consecutive singles by Ray Durham, Nomar Garciaparra and Minnesota's Matt Lawton, a sacrifice fly by Chicago's Magglio Ordonez and an infield error by Montreal's Jose Vidro.

Cleveland second baseman Alomar made the first flashy play, leaping to his right to snag Vladimir Guerrero's line drive.

But St. Louis centerfielder Jim Edmonds made the one you'll be seeing highlights of for years to come. Playing shallow, Edmonds broke back on Mike Bordick's fly ball, turned his back to the plate and made an over-the-shoulder catch a step in front of the wall.

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.

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