All-Star postgame: A good night for the National League in Phoenix

The tone was set early, with Roy Halladay throwing two scoreless innings and Cliff Lee following it with a third. It was the first time an All-Star Game began with three perfect innings since Roger Clemens and Freddy Garcia did it in 2001.

Lee gave up a solo homer to Adrian Gonzalez, but that was it for the American League.

``It was great to have the pitching set up the way it was," N.L. manager Bruce Bochy said.

With Halladay and Lee at the front and Heath Bell, Joel Hanrahan and Brian Wilson for the final innings, all the N.L.needed was a few runs. Prince Fielder took care of that in the fourth,

CUDDY GETS A CHANCE

When all nine A.L. starters were pulled from the game, I began to wonder if the Twins' Michael Cuddyer would get in the game.

Then Miguel Cabrera's back began balking, and Cuddy entered the game in the middle of the seventh inning.

``Matt Joyce said, `You been up yet? Alright, I'll go get a hit for you."

Starling Castro's error on Carlos Castro's grounder actually made Cuddyer's at-bat a strong possibility. But Joyce still singled to right to put runners on first and third for Cuddy.

I immediately ran to twitter and reminded everyone that the last time Cuddyer faced Brian Wilson he socked a RBI double off him last month in San Francisco. About 10 seconds after the tweet was sent, Cuddyer was out on a fly ball to right.

Cuiddyer was looking for a first pitch fastball and got one. He just missed it.

Still,Cuddyer was thrilled with the event. He took everything in, including the red carpet parade the players get before the game. Cuddyer got to bring his son Casey, 3, on back of the truck he was on and got a kick out of watching his son wave to everyone.