Prince Fielder's 3-run homer powers NL past AL, 5-1

**Admin** Wed Jul 13, 2011 3:01 am

Prince Fielder, the son of Tiger great & former All-Star Cecil Fielder, hit a 3-run homerun that sailed over the left-field wall at Chase Field in the 4th inning to give the National League a 5-1 victory over the American League at the 2011 All-Star Game in Arizona. The win gives the NL its first two-game winning streak since the mid-1990s.

Prince Fielder's 3-run homer powers NL past AL, 5-1 Bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=C4&Date=20110712&Category=SPORTS02&ArtNo=107130801&Ref=PH&Item=4&Maxw=640&Maxh=410&q=60

Prince Fielder's 3-run homer powers NL past AL, 5-1 Bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=C4&Date=20110712&Category=SPORTS02&ArtNo=107130801&Ref=PH&Item=4&Maxw=640&Maxh=410&q=60

As for the Tiger All-Stars, Miguel Cabrera entered the game in the sixth, grounded out to end the top of the inning, played the field in the bottom of the inning, then left the game due to a mild soreness in his right side. Cabrera confirmed later that he was fine.

The Tigers' three position players went a combined 0-for-5. Shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who like Cabrera, entered the game for the sixth inning & went 0-for-2. Starting catcher Alex Avila also went 0-for-2.

The pitchers ended up as spectators as Tigers right-hander Jose Valverde, designated as the AL's closer, was left without a ninth-inning save chance and Justin Verlander was ineligible to play due to his successful start this past Sunday to help the Tigers get to 1st place in the AL Central before the break.

Prince Fielder's 3-run homer powers NL past AL, 5-1 Bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=C4&Date=20110712&Category=SPORTS02&ArtNo=107130801&Ref=PH&Item=2&Maxw=640&Maxh=410&q=60

Prince Fielder's 3-run homer powers NL past AL, 5-1 Bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=C4&Date=20110712&Category=SPORTS02&ArtNo=107130801&Ref=PH&Item=2&Maxw=640&Maxh=410&q=60

With a half-game lead over Cleveland in the Central, the Tigers will look to continue their success, long enough for the playoffs to arrive. Detroit hopes to avoid a 2nd half downfall that occured last season. The road to the playoffs, and to the AL Central title, begins this Friday night at Comerica Park when they face the Chicago White Sox, who are five games behind the 1st place Tigers.

Around the league in other divisions, Boston leads the AL East with the N.Y. Yankees, who currently is the wild card leader, trailing only a game behind. In the AL West, Texas holds a one-game lead over the L.A. Angels for 1st. Philadelphia leads the NL East with a 3 1/2 game lead over the wild card leading Atlanta Braves. Milwaukee & St. Louis are tied for 1st in the NL Central with Pittsburgh trailing by one game. And in the NL West, San Francisco has the lead with Arizona trailing by three games.