AL can't recover from Verlander's rough first inning, falls to NL

For the three Detroit Tigers playing in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game, Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera, it wasn’t a night to remember from an on-field standpoint.

The National League defeated the American League 8-0 on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City with Fielder and Cabrera combining to go 0-for-3 at the plate while Verlander picked up the loss, allowing five runs on four hits in the first inning.

The win gives the NL home-field advantage in the World Series, which takes place in October between the winners of the two leagues. The NL has now won the last three All-Star Games, allowing just two runs in the process.

Verlander struck out Carlos Gonzalez to start the game but trouble came as Melky Cabrera (single) and Ryan Braun (RBI double) reached to give the NL an early lead. Three batters later, the bases were loaded for Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval and he cleared them with a triple down the right field line. Dan Uggla singled to score Sandoval, giving the NL a lead they wouldn’t come close to looking back on.

Verlander needed 35 pitches (19 strikes) to get through the inning.

Fielder started and went hitless in two at-bats and was robbed by Braun during his second as Braun made a leaping catch in left.

In his only AB in the sixth inning, Cabrera ended the AL’s best threat of the night by grounding into an inning-ending double play against Mets star R.A. Dickey.

Former Tigers reliever Fernando Rodney came in to pitch the ninth inning for the AL and put the NL down in order.

Joe Mauer singled to start the inning but was erased on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Elvis Andrus. Joel Hanrahan came in to pitch to Billy Butler and struck him out for his only batter. Philadelphia’s Jonathan Papelbon came in and closed it out, getting Matt Weiters to fly out to right for the final out.

Melky Cabrera was named the game’s MVP. In addition to his single off Verlander, he added a 2-run home run in the fourth inning.