LOS ANGELES — The night began with Denzel Washington honoring Jackie Robinson.
Moments later, members of the National League and American League teams gathered near home plate at Dodger Stadium, where Mookie Betts led the crowd in wishing Rachel Robinson a happy 100th birthday.
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There were big cheers when Clayton Kershaw of the hometown Los Angeles Dodgers struck out New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
Judge’s Yankees teammate Giancarlo Stanton provided the power with a two-run homer in the fourth against another Dodgers pitcher, Tony Gonsolin. Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins followed with a homer to left.
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It was the seventh set of back-to-back homers in All-Star Game history, and they were enough to lead the American League to a 3-2 win in front of 52,518.
The Chicago White Sox had two players on the AL roster — Tim Anderson, who started at shortstop, and closer Liam Hendriks — and the Chicago Cubs had two on the NL squad in starting catcher Willson Contreras and outfielder Ian Happ.
Here’s how the game went for the players from both teams.
After just missing out on a chance to hit in his first All-Star Game last year in Denver — he was on deck in the ninth inning — Anderson made the most of being voted a starter this year. He went 1-for-2 with a single to left in the fourth.
Anderson was the first Sox player to start at shortstop in the All-Star Game since Luis Aparicio in 1970, and he was involved in the action in the first inning, taking part in a tremendous double play.
Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andrés Giménez went to his backhand to field Manny Machado’s hard-hit grounder. Giménez made a behind-the-back flip to Anderson, who threw to first to complete the double play.
Anderson squared off against Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins in his first at-bat, grounding out to first to end the second inning.
Anderson ranged to his left to make a nice play in the third, fielding and throwing out Machado.
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He came up during the AL’s three-run fourth, following the back-to-back homers with the single to left against Gonsolin. Xander Bogaerts of the Boston Red Sox replaced Anderson at shortstop in the bottom of the fourth.
“It’s such a blessing to be right in the mix,” he told the Tribune before the game.
Hendriks earned the save in last year’s game at Coors Field.
“I want to make sure that every person who hasn’t been part of the game has an opportunity before I do,” Hendriks, also an All-Star in 2019 with the Oakland Athletics, told the Tribune before Tuesday’s game. “If an opportunity arises, an opportunity arises.”
An opportunity arose in the eighth when Hendriks entered with two outs and a runner on first. He faced Travis d’Arnaud and got the Atlanta Braves catcher to fly out to center.
He screamed, “Julio,” as in Julio Rodríguez of the Seattle Mariners, who made the catch. He waved while asking for the ball.
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Hendriks hugged AL manager Dusty Baker when he made it to the dugout.
Willson and William Contreras became the first pair of brothers since Roberto and Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1992 to start an All-Star Game together. Willson batted sixth in the NL lineup and William seventh.
Willson came up in the first and struck out swinging against starter Shane McClanahan of the Tampa Bay Rays. William struck out looking against Alex Manoah of the Toronto Blue Jays to begin the second.
Facing the A’s Paul Blackburn in the fourth, Willson reached on a fielding error by Guardians third baseman José Ramírez. William didn’t get the chance to drive in his brother, as he was lifted for Albert Pujols.
Willson exited after the fifth, replaced by d’Arnaud behind the plate.
Happ made his first All-Star appearance, entering in the sixth at center field. Next to him in left was former Cub Kyle Schwarber.
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Happ batted with two outs in the seventh against Gregory Soto of the Detroit Tigers. He worked a full count before drawing a walk.
Happ was on deck when Jake Cronenworth struck out to end the game.
