It was J.D Drew’s seventh-inning, game-tying home run that earned him MVP honors in this year’s All-Star Game, which the American League won early this morning at Yankee Stadium, 4-3, in 15 innings. It’s one thing to hit a home run. But what will truly cement the Red Sox right fielder as a classic Midsummer Classic hero is his willingness to pitch, had his manager, Terry Francona, been desperate for another arm.
Appearing in his first All-Star Game, Drew replaced starter Ichiru Suzuki in right field and wound up going 2-for-4. With the AL trailing 2-0 in the seventh inning, he clocked a 2-1 pitch from Edinson Volquez for a two-run homer, tying the game. The teams then traded runs in the eighth inning, sending the game hurtling into bonus frames. The home run made for a weird Bronx tale: Yankee fans cheering for a Red Sox player.
J.D Drew was presented with a large, white SUV for winning an award named after Red Sox legend Ted Williams.
