Celebration: Elias Diaz (35) celebrates after his two-run homer in the eighth inning gave the National League a 2-1 lead. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
SEATTLE — Elias Diaz cracked a two-run home run in the eighth inning as the National League ended more than a decade of frustration in the All-Star Game, defeating the American League 3-2 on Tuesday at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.
Diaz’s heroics came in his first All-Star at-bat as he sent a pitch from Felix Bautista into the left-field seats to score Nick Castellanos. That gave the NL the lead and helped end a nine-game losing streak.
Diaz was named the game’s MVP.
A sellout crowd of 47,159 at T-Mobile Park watched a tight game that was not decided until Diaz’s homer and a nail-biting ninth inning as the AL tried to rally.
The 32-year-old catcher for the Colorado Rockies is a nine-year veteran of the majors. He is batting .277 with nine home runs and 45 RBI, but Tuesday’s blast was a memorable one for the NL.
The last NL victory came in 2012 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. MVP Melky Cabrera led the NL to an 8-0 victory that year.
The AL put two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth off Craig Kimbrel, but the Phillies reliever struck out Jose Ramirez on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.
The AL still leads the series 47-44-2, according to Baseball-Reference.com. It was the third time the game was played in Seattle and the second time it has been played at T-Mobile Park.
Yandy Diaz homered and Bo Bichette had a sacrifice fly to give the AL a 2-1 lead.
The AL snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning when pinch-hitter Salvador Perez singled, Brent Rooker doubled and Bo Bichette hit a sacrifice fly. The NL appeared to tie the game on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. homer in the seventh inning, but the call was reversed and the ball was ruled foul, temporarily preserving the AL’s lead.
The AL took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz homered off Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller.
The NL tied the game in the fourth inning when J.D. Martinez doubled and scored on Luis Arraez’s RBI single.
While the All-Star Game has traditionally been a showcase for established stars, this year’s contest featured 33 first-timers to the Midsummer Classic, USA Today reported. The rosters also had an international flavor, with 19 players on the AL roster and 12 on the NL side.
The NL won the first time the game was played in Seattle, winning 7-6 at the Kingdome in 1979. The game returned to Seattle in 2001, when the American League prevailed 4-1 at Safeco Field, which was renamed T-Mobile Park in 2019.
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole started for the AL, while Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen started for the senior circuit. It was the first All-Star Game start for both pitchers.
The first pitch was shortly after 8 p.m. EDT, which made it 5 p.m. and still sunny in Seattle. Cole benefited in the first inning from a pair of catches near the wall by Texas right fielder Adolis Garcia and Tampa Bay left fielder Randy Arozarena.
Arozarena also had the first hit of the game, a single to left field. But he was thrown out attempting to steal.
2023 All-Star Game: T-Mobile Park in Seattle was filled to capacity for the 93rd All-Star Game. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. tosses out the first pitch before the All-Star Game. Griffey and fellow Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez threw out pitches before the game. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez signs autographs for fans before the All-Star Game. (Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Texas Rangers right fielder Adolis García robs Ronald Acuna Jr. of an extra-base hit during the first inning. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Orlando Arcia of the Atlanta Braves reacts during the All-Star Game. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays is tagged out by Atlanta's Orlando Arcia. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning of the 93rd MLB All-Star Game. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Yandy Díaz of the Tampa Bay Rays put the AL on the board with a solo home run during the second inning at the 93rd All-Star Game. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Luis Arraez of the Miami Marlins reacts after his RBI single during the fourth inning of Tuesday's All-Star Game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Sean Murphy of the Atlanta Braves sports a chest protector featuring the Seattle skyline during the All-Star Game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays loses his bat during the All-Star Game in Seattle. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Atlanta's Austin Riley barehands a ground ball during the fifth inning of Tuesday night's All-Star Game. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can't find the handle on the ball during the seventh inning. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Salvador Perez gave the American League a 2-1 lead when he scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Elias Diaz celebrates after his two-run homer in the eighth inning gave the National League a 3-2 lead. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Wander Franco watches the ball during his at-bat during the 93rd All-Star Game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Fans reach for a foul ball during the All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Reliever Craig Kimbrel worked out of a ninth-inning jam to preserve the NL victory. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Game MVP Elias Díaz, left of the Colorado Rockies and Orlando Arcia of the Atlanta Braves celebrate after the NL wrapped up the victory Tuesday night. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
2023 All-Star Game: Elias Díaz of the Colorado Rockies savors the moment after being named the Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP at the 93rd All-Star Game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)