Pat Neshek delivers; AL wins All-Star Game in 10th

MIAMI  —  Pat Neshek retired three of the four batters he faced in the All-Star Game as he used his one inning of work Tuesday night to replicate the success he has found all season with the Phillies.

Neshek, who usually pitches the seventh for the Phillies, logged a scoreless second inning for the National League in its 2-1 loss to the American League. He retired Houston's Carlos Correa, Tampa Bay's Corey Dickerson, and Kansas City's Salvador Perez. Justin Smoak poked a single to left, beating the shift.

Some players ducked out of Marlins Park after they were removed from the game. Neshek stayed in the dugout. He hung over the rail and pointed to Yadier Molina as his old teammate with St. Louis rounded the bases with a game-tying blast in the sixth. Neshek later sat still on the bench — like the rest of his National League counterparts — after Seattle's Robinson Cano clinched the AL's fifth straight win with a homer in the 10th.

It was the first time since 2002 that the game was not used to determine home-field advantage for the World Series. But try telling that to Boston's Craig Kimbrel, who roared and pumped his shoulders after whiffing the Mets' Michael Conforto to strand a runner on third and force extra innings. Both teams used nine pitchers and only two (St. Louis righthander Carlos Martinez and American League starter Chris Sale of Boston) pitched more than one inning. The teams combined for 23 strikeouts.

Neshek arrived in Miami after allowing runs this season in just two of his 38 appearances. The righthander was acquired before the season from Houston, which was simply trying to cut salary. Now Neshek will be a valuable trade chip for the Phillies as they move toward the July 31 trade deadline.

"That's been the talk here. Every night is a new team," said Neshek, 36. "I think there were three different ones last week. It was the Yankees, Royals, and Red Sox. My agent has been telling me some teams, but I think if any team is in it, you can expect to hear some chatter.

"It's been one of those years where I feel there is a lot more in store," Neshek said. "Like something really good is going to happen. You have the World Baseball Classic, you have the All-Star Game, let's top it off with a World Series. You never know. But if not, it might sound weird, but I really like Philly. My family loves it there. There's a lot of good brewing in Philly."

Neshek's one inning of work was a good showcase for trade suitors. He needed just one pitch to retire Correa, one of baseball's best hitters. Three of the four batters he faced were lefthanded, which gave Neshek a chance to prove that he is more than just a righthanded specialist. Lefthanders are slugging .313 this season against Neshek after racking up a .646 mark last season.

Neshek's success this season has been steeped in his velocity. The righthander does not throw fire, but his fastball is a tick faster than last season. His fastball   —  which is averaging 90.3 mph this season   —  has actually improved as the season rolls on. It was around 91 mph in both June and July. His unique sidearm delivery does the rest, adding deception to make Neshek's pitches tough to see and appear faster than they are.

"I think I have a lot left in there," Neshek said.

If his time in Philadelphia ends this month, he will look back favorably on his short stint with the Phillies. Last season was miserable, Neshek said. The Astros used him in a limited role, opting to pitch him almost exclusively against righthanded hitters. He pleaded for a bigger role but his wish was never granted. They dumped him in December, trading him to the Phillies for cash.

"It was a team that gave me an opportunity," Neshek said. "Matt Klentak believed in me. That's why he traded for me. He gave me a shot. I tried to work my butt off to reward him."

Neshek's final out on Tuesday came against Perez, who lofted a fly ball into right-center field. Washington's Bryce Harper charged from deep right field and dove to make the grab. The crowd roared as one of baseball's biggest stars shined. Neshek watched in approval before walking off the mound. His all-star moment was finished. And his time with the Phillies is winding down.