2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 85th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, held at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the home of the Minnesota Twins. This was the third All-Star Game played in the Twin Cities; Metropolitan Stadium hosted the game in 1965, while the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome hosted the game in 1985. It was televised in the United States on Fox as part of a new eight-year deal. In preparation for the game the Twin Cities' transit company, MetroTransit, completed the  new METRO Green Line light-rail between downtown Minneapolis and downtown Saint Paul, and began service on June 14, 2014. Host selection. The Chicago Cubs were the only other team that made a bid for hosting the 2014 All-Star Game. Typically the leagues alternate hosts every year, except for 2005, 2007, 2015, and 2016, which were hosted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres, respectively. With 2014 being the American League's turn, Chicago made a bid hoping an exception would be made for the National League Cubs in order to honor the  centennial of Wrigley Field (which last hosted an All-Star Game in 1990). Fan balloting. Starters. Balloting for the 2014 All-Star Game starters began online April 23 and ended on July 2. The top vote-getters at each position (including the designated hitter for the American League) and the top three among outfielders, were named the starters for their respective leagues. The results were announced on July 6. Final roster spot. After the rosters were finalized, a second ballot of five players per league was created for the All-Star Final Vote to determine the 34th and final player  of each roster. The online balloting was conducted from July 5 through July 9. Rosters. Players in "italics" have since been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Game summary. Starting lineup. The American League took a 3–0 lead in the first inning on a Derek Jeter double, a Mike Trout triple and a Miguel Cabrera home run. The NL scored two runs in the second with three consecutive hits by Aramis Ramírez, Chase Utley and Jonathan Lucroy against Jon Lester. Lucroy tied the game at three in the fourth with another RBI double. The American League took a  5–3 lead in the 5th on a Trout double and a José Altuve sacrifice fly. The lead held up and the AL won by the score of 5–3. The host team's battery -- Minnesota Twins closer Glen Perkins and catcher Kurt Suzuki -- took the field for the top of the ninth and Perkins earned the save. Box score. Umpires:Home Plate - Gary Cederstrom (crew chief); First Base - Jeff Nelson; Second Base - Bob Davidson; Third Base - Scott Barry; Left Field - Todd Tichenor; Right Field - Vic Carapazza Weather: Temperature: , partly cloudy; Wind: 11 mph, in from left field Time of Game: 3:13  Attendance: 41,048