The phrase “unlikely hero” was coined with Texas Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock in mind.
A career .211 hitter entering the 2003 season who hadn’t had a home run or RBI since July 3, he collected a little of both Tuesday night, powering the American League to a 7-6 comeback victory with an eighth inning home run off Los Angeles Dodgers relief ace Eric Gagne.
It was Blalock’s first All-Star at-bat, the 12th time a player has homered in a first trip to an All-Star plate.
“I’m just really happy to be in the All-Star game and then to do this is just icing on the cake,” Blalock said.
The league tied home-field advantage in the World Series to the outcome of the All-Star game. Few players in this game had less chance of that mattering than Blalock, whose Rangers are a last-place team.
“I’m just happy I could help some of the [other A.L.] guys out,” Blalock said.
Blalock’s shot was the capstone to a turnaround inning for the American League. All-Star game MVP Garrett Anderson doubled to right off Gagne and was replaced by Baltimore’s Melvin Mora as a pinch runner. After Carl Everett of the Sox grounded out, Toronto’s Vernon Wells doubled to score Mora, bringing up Blalock.
Blalock, hitting .323 with 14 home runs and 48 RBI, worked the count to 3-1 as Gagne missed on a couple of changeups. Blalock then crushed a Gagne fastball into the seats in right center for the winning runs.
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