Angels CF Mike Trout turned last night's MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park "into his personal showcase," hitting a home run to lead off the game and claiming his second consecutive ASG MVP (USA TODAY, 7/15). Outside of Trout, the game "might be remembered" for Mets P Jacob deGrom striking out the side on 10 pitches or for Reds P Aroldis Chapman "punching out all three men he faced” (WASHINGTON POST, 7/15).
Last night's game "concluded five days of festivities that turned Cincinnati ... into a celebration of the national pastime and the Queen City’s love for the game" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 7/15). If fans "ever doubted it, Cincinnati really is a baseball town," and it "has shown exactly that as proud hosts" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 7/15).
Despite the clear weather for the game itself, a brief but intense afternoon thunderstorm did delay by a half hour an MLB invitation-only, pre-game party for more than 3,500 guests at nearby Yeatman’s Cove Park, and left muddy conditions behind. “Every precaution has been taken. We were completely able to proceed on as planned,” said Delaware North Sportservice Food & Beverage Dir Tom Schlaker (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
