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Mike Trout leads American League to win over National League, wins back-to-back MVPs

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout became the first player in MLB history to win back-to-back All-Star Game MVP awards, leading the American League to a 6-3 win over the National League in Cincinnati.

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Trout wasted little time, belting a lead-off home run off NL starter Zack Greinke.He finished one-for-three with a homer, two runs scored, and one walk to became the first player to lead off the All-Star Game with a home run since Bo Jackson did so in 1989."I was just trying to get a pitch I could hit," Trout told FOX Sports after the game."I got the two strikes - was just trying to barrel it - get a good swing on it, and it went over the fence. This experience has been awesome, the fans have been great, its been awesome."

As the MVP, Trout chose a 2015 special edition Silverado Midnight truck as his prize. Last season, he chose a Corvette.

With the win, the American League will have home-field advantage for the World Series in October and have won 15 of the past 19 All-Star Games.

Despite the bad start, Greinke recorded four strikeouts in two innings, becoming the 17th starter in All-Star Game history to do so, and the first since Pedro Martinez fanned five in 1999.Greinke was not the only NL pitcher with impressive numbers.In the sixth inning, New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom became the first pitcher in All-Star Game history with three strikeouts in an inning with 10 pitches or less.St Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta's two-out base hit off AL starter Dallas Keuchel gave the NL their first run of the night.The Cincinnati fans, who had booed every Cardinals player when they were introduced, gave Peralta a small applause for driving in the first NL run.Los Angeles Dodgers ace and 2014 MVP Clayton Kershaw took the mound for the NL in the fifth but failed to hold his own, allowing two runs on three hits, including an RBI double off the bat of Lorenzo Cain.He was scored as the losing pitcher in the game, while Detroit Tigers ace David Price was credited with the win.Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen brought the NL within one run with a homer in the bottom of the sixth, but a Manny Machado RBI double, and Prince Fielder's second RBI of the night, extended the American League's lead to 5-2.Brain Dozier added an insurance run for the AL with an eighth inning solo blast to make it 6-2.The NL tried to make it interesting in the bottom of the ninth, crushing two balls to the warning track after Ryan Braun hit a lead-off triple, but Minnesota Twins closer Glen Perkins was able to close the door and seal an AL win for the second year in a row.

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