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AL Leads NL, 7-4, at All-Star Game

Posted on: Tuesday, 13 July 2004, 06:00 CDT

HOUSTON - Manny Ramirez's two-run homer and a three-run shot by Alfonso Soriano off Roger Clemens sent the American League to a 7-4 lead over the National League through four innings Tuesday night.

With a two-strike count on Ramirez, Roger Clemens knew what he wanted to throw. Mike Piazza didn't. The rivals-turned-batterymates struggled to settle on a pitch. Once they did, Ramirez sent it into the left-field seats, spoiling Clemens' All-Star homecoming.

The Clemens-Piazza subplot has been downplayed by both players, but friction stemming from Clemens throwing a pitch and a sheared bat at Piazza was evident before the game.

Standing only a few feet apart, the starting pitcher and catcher didn't say a word to each other as they posed for the NL team photo. At times, they both talked to a third person without either acknowledging the other.

Their time together in the bullpen was interesting because of how sparse it was. Clemens warmed up first with another catcher, then threw only a few pitches to Piazza before taking a break. Piazza left soon after for the introduction of the starting lineup.

Clemens looked shaky from the time he took the mound. His first two pitches were balls, then Ichiro Suzuki doubled into the right-field corner. Ivan Rodriguez followed with a triple to nearly the same spot.

After Vladimir Guerrero grounded out to Clemens, Ramirez homered. With the bases empty, Alex Rodriguez struck out swinging at a full-count, 92 mph fastball. The inning seemed over when Jason Giambi hit a grounder to second base, but it hit off Jeff Kent's glove for an error.

When Derek Jeter chopped a single over the head of first baseman Albert Pujols, the AL had an All-Star first - hitting for the cycle in an inning.

When Soriano followed with a homer, Clemens had given up six runs - twice as many as he'd allowed in 11 innings over eight previous All-Star appearances. Because of Kent's error, only three of those were earned.

An RBI single by Sammy Sosa got a run back for Clemens in the bottom of the first. That rally, the NL's only chance to keep Clemens from possibly being the losing pitcher, ended when AL starter Mark Mulder struck out Piazza with runners on first and second. Piazza had been ahead 3-0, then flailed at an inside pitch and was confused by a changeup.

Clemens didn't return for the second inning, giving way to Milwaukee reliever Dan Kolb, then Arizona ace Randy Johnson. Mulder went two innings, allowing two hits, then was relieved by Esteban Loaiza.

In the bottom of the fourth, Albert Pujols' double to left scored Carlos Beltran and Edgar Renteria to make the score 7-4.

The seven combined runs in the first inning weren't unusual for Minute Maid Park, but it was a lot for an All-Star game in Houston. The previous two, both played in the pitcher-friendly Astrodome, had a total of six runs.

The AL came into the game on a six-game winning streak, not counting a tie in 2002. A seventh would be a record, and it would give the league homefield advantage in the World Series for the third straight year.

This is the second year of a two-year experiment in which a key part of the offseason hinges on this game. While derided by some players and AL manager Joe Torre of the Yankees, commissioner Bud Selig is hoping to keep the tie-in.

Pregame festivities were highlighted by an impromptu shadow boxing exhibition from guest of honor Muhammad Ali.

Ali walked toward the mound for the ceremonial first pitch with a ball in each hand, then began jabbing away. The tosses were made by two local children. When Derek Jeter brought one of the balls back to the mound, Ali threw a few playful jabs his way, too.

The excitement on the mound began even earlier when fan Tom Gray won $1 million by throwing five pitches through a target at home plate in less than 30 seconds.

"I have no idea how I did it," said Gray, the 41-year-old owner of a south Houston car lot.

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