The American League, on the strength of back-to-back home runs by Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton, helped propel the American League to a 2022 MLB All-Star Game victory, by the score of 3-2, making it nine consecutive wins over the National League in the Midsummer Classic.

Stanton, who was named All-Star Game MVP, hit a 457-foot, two-run homer off Dodgers righty Tony Gonsolin in the fourth inning. Buxton, the next batter, followed with a 425-foot blast of his own to give the AL a one-run lead, a lead which was they would keep for the rest of the game.

Clayton Kershaw got the start in front of his home crowd and pitched a scoreless first inning (which featured a pick-off of Shohei Ohtani).

The NL got two runs in the bottom of the first, thanks to an RBI single from Mookie Betts and a solo homer from Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. The NL had four hits off of AL starter Shane McClanahan, but had just one knock in the final eight innings, as the American League pitching was just too much to overcome.

Speaking of pitching, another Cardinals All-Star highlight came from pitcher Ryan Helsley. In the top of the eighth, American League batters were faced with 103 mph heat from the Cardinals reliever, the fastest pitches thrown all night, and some of the fastest thrown all season long.

Albert Pujols, 42, in his final season, made his final All-Star Game appearance, to a standing ovation from the crowd at Dodger Stadium. Pujols, who finished in the top four in the Home Run Derby Monday night, also had a moving pregame speech to his fellow National League counterparts.

All in all, it was another fun All-Star weekend to watch.

But now, it’s time for the second half of the season.