Clippard's Three-Pitch All-Star Win

If the National League wants to win an All-Star Game, just send a Nationals pitcher to the mound.

For the second year in a row, a Nats pitcher was the winning hurler on record in the ASG. 

On Tuesday, Tyler Clippard recorded a win in his first All-Star appearance, and he did it with only three pitches.

Clippard relieved Cliff Lee in the top of the fourth to face Adrian Beltre. After throwing two strikes, Beltre got a piece of a Clippard pitch and lined it to Hunter Pence. Pence made a perfect throw home to throw out Jose Bautista, who was trying to score from second. 
 
A three-run homer by Prince Fielder put the National League ahead in the bottom of the fourth, securing Clippard’s stat. 
 
An All-Star win makes for a pretty impressive story to tell the grandkids, but Clippard insists he’ll tell it as it was.
 
“I'm going to say I grooved an 0-2 heater to Beltre and Hunter Pence threw him out at the plate to vulture a win in my first All-Star Game," Clippard told CBS Sports. "I don't think that story gets any better."
 
It’s not much different from the 2010 All-Star Game, when Nats pitcher Matt Capps recorded a win in only five pitches.
 
Back-to-back All-Star wins for Nats pitchers with only eight pitches between them. You call it “vulture,” we call it "efficient."
 
Clippard has confidence that the Nats bullpen can make it three in a row. 
 
"Storen," Clippard said. "Storen's getting it next year." 
 
Questions, comments or tips? Email Sarah at sarahskogod@gmail.com. You can also follow her on Twitter (@sarahschorno).
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