The All-Star Game: Bud Selig's Nightmare

This is like deja vu all over again.

--Yogi Berra

New York -- With so much fuss made over the last All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, the teams representing the American and National Leagues acted as if they never wanted the night to end.

In the end, after 4 hours 50 minutes, the result was the same. For the sixth consecutive year, the AL triumphed, 4-3, on a sacrifice fly by Texas' Michael Young in the bottom of the 15th. The victory extended the AL's record in the game over the last 12 years to 11-0-1.

The game tied the 1967 contest in Anaheim for the longest in terms of innings and exceeded it in time by more than an hour.

The teams came dangerously close to repeating the tie in 2002 in Milwaukee that led to the change in format, rewarding the winner with home-field advantage in the World Series. When Phillies reliever Brad Lidge and Atlanta catcher Brian McCann entered the game for the NL in the bottom of the 15th inning, all 64 players had been used.

The AL loaded the bases against Lidge on a pair of singles and a one-out walk to Boston's J.D. Drew. Young then lifted a towering fly to medium right, which was caught by the Milwaukee Brewers' Corey Hart.

Minnesota's Justin Morneau, who won the Home Run Derby the previous evening, raced home from third to score the winning run as Hart's throw forced McCann to field it on the first-base side of the plate and try a swipe tag.

"I knew it was a little bit to the left," said Hart. "I just didn't know how far. I was fine. I just pulled it to the left a little."

Commissioner Bud Selig could sleep well after the marathon game. He can thank Corey Hart for pulling it to the left a little.

This game ended with a winner.

I wonder what was running through Selig's mind when it was the 15th inning and all the players had been used.

It couldn't have been good. The extra innings must have been unpleasant for him.

All in all, it was an exciting game and great to have Ben Sheets honored with being the starting pitcher.