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Albany, NY – Well the Home Run Derby last night turned into a Yankees-Red Sox showdown...
With his father, Jose, on the mound, Bombers' second baseman Robinson Cano set a finals record by crushing 12 home runs, right after Boston first baseman Adrian Gonzalez swatted 11. Cano finished with 32 total home runs, one more than Gonzalez. He's the third Yankee to win the competition, joining Jason Giambi and Tino Martinez. Matt Holliday, Rickie Weeks, Matt Kemp, and Major League home run leader Jose Bautista didn't survive the first round. Prince Fielder and defending champ David Ortiz were eliminated in the semifinals.
The baseball All-Star game gets underway at eight eastern tonight... Phillies' Roy Halladay gets the start for the NL, and Angels' ace Jered Weaver takes the mound for the AL.
Checking the baseball standings at the break...
In the National League, the Phillies have the best record in baseball at 57-34, and lead the NL East by 3 1/2 games over Atlanta. Milwaukee and St. Louis are tied atop the NL Central with identical 49-43 records. Defending World Series champion Giants top the NL West by three games over Arizona.
In the American League, the Red Sox have the league's best record at 55-35, and lead the AL East by a game over the Yankees. Detroit leads Cleveland by just a half game in the AL Central. And in the AL West, Texas leads the Angels by one game.
In other baseball news, more potential jurors are being qualified for Roger Clemens' perjury trial in Washington, while the defense hints the seven-time Cy Young Award winner won't testify. Clemens is charged with six felonies for telling Congress under oath that he never used performance-enhancing drugs.
In NFL news, former All-Pro linebacker Mike Vrabel has retired. Vrabel, who played for the Steelers, Patriots and Chiefs during his 14-year career, will return to his alma mater as an Ohio State assistant coach.
In golf, So Yeon Ryu beat fellow South Korean Hee Kyung Seo in a three-hole playoff to claim the U.S. Women's Open title.
I'm Tristan O'Neill, WAMC News.