Bautista surrenders go-ahead home run in American League's 3-2 loss

The media scrums at designated tables and the red carpet fashion show were over. The four Orioles All-Stars could just play baseball tonight. Hoping to do it in the same way that got them to Seattle.

Some succeeded, but it wasn’t a clean sweep.

Austin Hays went 1-for-2 as the starting center fielder for the American League, making him a career .500 hitter in the Midsummer Classic.

The top of the sixth belonged to Yennier Cano, who struck out two batters and stranded two. Adley Rutschman entered at the same time, caught the last four innings and went 0-for-1.

Félix Bautista worked the eighth, a familiar masked face setting the target, and he surrendered a go-ahead, two-run homer to Rockies catcher Elias Díaz.

Cano would have earned the win if the AL stayed ahead, but his friend and teammate absorbed the loss in the National League’s 3-2 victory at T-Mobile Park.

The result snapped the AL’s winning streak at nine games. They had claimed 16 of the last 19 and 21 of 25.

Hays, with the names of sons Levi and Hayden written inside a black star on his orange bat, grounded out to Marlins second baseman Luis Arraez on a 2-1 pitch from the Pirates’ Mitch Keller to end the bottom of the second inning. He batted again with one out in the fifth and lined a single into center field on the first pitch from Cubs left-hander Justin Steele.

The Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez replaced Hays in the top of the sixth.

Cano hadn’t come into a game this season before the seventh inning. He began tonight’s outing by striking out the Braves’ Matt Olson on a 2-2 changeup and the Phillies Nick Castellanos on a 1-2 changeup. The straddle and stare were on display for a much larger audience.

The Marlins’ Jorge Soler reached on a throwing error by Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Atlanta’s Austin Riley poked a full-count sinker into right field. The Braves’ Ozzie Albies grounded out on Cano’s 24^th pitch, and his 16^th strike.

Rutschman faced Giants fireballer Camilo Doval with two outs in the seventh after a double by Cleveland’s José Ramírez and lined to right. He stood on deck as Phillies reliever Craig Kimbrel struck out Ramírez to strand two runners in the bottom of the ninth.

Bautista walked Castellanos on nine pitches leading off the eighth, and a fastball got past Rutschman to put the tying run in scoring position. Díaz drove a 86.9 mph splitter over the left field fence in his All-Star debut.

A foul popup to Rutschman, strikeout of Albies on a 99.5 mph fastball and a walk to the Dodgers’ Will Smith led to Bautista’s removal after 28 pitches. Too many in an exhibition game.

Bautista surrendered three home runs in 39 appearances in the first half.

Right fielder Adolis García battled the sun and made a leaping catch on the warning track to rob NL leadoff hitter Ronald Acuña Jr. of extra bases in the first inning, and left fielder Randy Arozarena pulled the same stunt on the next batter, Freddie Freeman – much to the delight of AL starter Gerrit Cole. Hays celebrated both plays while waiting for his first fly ball.

It never came.

Six Rangers were on the field by the top of the second inning. Hays was an intruder.

Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz homered off Keller with one out in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. Arraez singled off the Mariners’ George Kirby in the fourth to score the Dodgers’ J.D. Martinez and tie the game.

Tonight marked the first time that two players with the same last name hit home runs.

Toronto’s Bo Bichette had a sacrifice fly in the sixth that scored the Royals’ Salvador Perez for a 2-1 AL lead. Pérez pinch-hit for Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and delivered a leadoff single against Reds reliever Alexis Díaz.

Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano left the game in the top of the seventh inning with tightness in his lower back after Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s fly ball was called a home run and then ruled foul upon review.

Bautista kept his good health. That was a win for the Orioles.