By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Pablo Sandoval's three-run triple highlighted a five-run first inning, while fellow Giant teammate Melky Cabrera pounded a game-breaking two-run blast in the fourth as the National League demolished the American League 8-0, in the 83rd edition of the Midsummer Classic at Kauffman Stadium.

It was the third straight MLB All-Star Game victory for the NL.

Cabrera, who won the MVP award in the ballpark where he played last season, sparked the first-inning flurry with a hit off one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball right now - - the hard-throwing Justin Verlander, who apparently approached this tilt differently than a regular-season start.

Tigers ace and AL starter Verlander, who became the third All-Star to yield five (earned) runs, unleashed early his 100 mph fastballs.

Cabrera scored on Ryan Braun's double, but the big blow came four batters later when Sandoval detonated a three-run, first-inning triple off the reigning AL MVP Verlander.

It was the first career triple for Sandoval.

That hit, which was the first bases-clearing triple in All-Star Game history, put the National League up 4-0 before the American League had a chance to bat.

Cabrera, hitting a terrific .353 at the break with an NL-high 119 hits, then ripped a two-run homer off a Matt Harrison offering in the fourth over the wall in left to highlight his first All-Star appearance.

Cabrera, who went 2-for-3 with a two-run home, became just the fifth Giants player to win the All-Star Game MVP Award.

Brewers' Braun, last year's NL MVP, went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI and had one of three triples for the victors.

NL starter Matt Cain, who has rarely received ample run support, hurled two innings of one-hit baseball to earn the win. Cain, a key component of the Giants' pitching staff this year, was making his first appearance on the hill in his third All-Star selection.

Tony La Russa, who retired as Cardinals manager after leading the club to last year's World Series, used a combination of 11 pitchers. The NL's brilliant pitching staff held the AL to only six hits.

Meanwhile, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who is retiring at the end of the season, collected a single in his only at-bat.

It marked the first All-Star shutout since the 1996 game when the NL blanked the AL 6-0 at Philadelphia.

This year's edition of the Midsummer Classic, which again determines which league gets home-field advantage in the World Series, featured 26 first-timers, as well as a record five rookies.

The 2012 MLB All-Star Game has still managed to fare well in Television and Social Media ratings despite the National League All-Stars 8-0 domination over the American League All-Stars.

The All-Star game recorded an 8.1 metered market rating, beating last year's ratings of 7.9 and overwhelmed its closest competitor Fox by 47 percent.

The Midsummer Classic also generated 807,603 total public Twitter and Facebook comments -- 257 percent better than last year.

According to Nielsen, the All-Star game drew a rating a nation's best 20.5 rating from the St Louis market and 18.7 rating from host Kansas City. Detroit placed third at 16.1 rating.

 

Giants Cabrera and Sandoval Power NL Past AL in All-Star Game