NEW YORK – Despite being on the losing team and having a tough night at the plate and in the field, Domonic Brown left his first All-Star Game with a smile on his face.
“It was unbelievable to be out there with all those great All-Stars,” he said after the American League shut out the National League, 3-0, at Citi Field on Tuesday night. “It was a lot of fun. A lot of fun. I can’t believe it’s already over.”
Brown struck out in his only at-bat. He was in the on-deck circle when Pedro Alvarez flied out with a runner on base to end the game.
“I was hoping Pedro would hit one and I’d come up in a special situation,” Brown said. “Maybe next year. I just have to keep working hard.”
Brown entered the game in left field in the sixth inning. He appeared to misplay a ball off the bat of Jason Kipnis with two outs in the eighth. Kipnis’ double scored the AL’s third run.
Cliff Lee, the Phillies’ other representative, allowed two hits and a run in one inning of work. He appeared to have left the building and was not available to reporters after the game.
Brown and Lee were both booed -- it’s a New York-Philly thing, you know -- during pre-game introductions. Brown smiled when he was greeted with boos. Lee reacted with a stern-looking straight face that was caught by the cameras. On a festive night, he looked anything but.
“I saw him,” Brown said, referring to Lee’s reaction. “That’s Cliff. I started laughing right away.”
Lee will pitch at Citi Field again on Sunday against Matt Harvey, the NL starter Tuesday night.
Even though he struck out on three pitches with a man on base against lefty Brett Cecil in the seventh inning, Brown said his All-Star at-bat was memorable.
“Words can’t describe it,” he said. “I had some jitters. But I felt good. He’s a tough pitcher against lefties. It motivates me for next year. Keep working hard.”
The game included a moving All-Star sendoff for New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning and was named MVP (see story). Rivera had the stage all to himself as he took the mound and players from both teams saluted him in the eighth.
“It was a blessing to be here and see that,” Brown said.