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MINNEAPOLIS -- Mike Matheny had quite the choice for the National Leagues All-Star starter. Demar Dotson Jersey . There was his own Adam Wainwright, the St. Louis Cardinals ace with a 12-4 record and a 1.83 ERA. And there was the Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, 11-2 with a 1.78 ERA and fresh off a 41-inning scoreless streak that ended last week. He chose Wainwright, who will start Tuesday night at Target Field against the Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez. "Its going to be great catching them," said Milwaukees Jonathan Lucroy, the NL starter behind the plate. "A lot more fun than facing them." When baseballs elite met at Citi Field last year, NL batters managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss. A year earlier in Kansas City, the AL had just six hits in an 8-0 defeat. Never before had consecutive All-Star games ended in shutouts. "Guys are throwing harder. Guys have more pitches," said Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley, making his sixth All-Star appearance and first since 2010. The big league batting average is at a 42-year low. Strikeouts are at an all-time high. Wainwright and Kershaw are on track to become the first pair of qualifying pitchers in one league with a sub-2.00 ERA since the Mets Dwight Gooden and the Cardinals John Tudor in 1985 -- the last time Minnesota hosted the All-Stars. "Aside from having the ability to win two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, I think this has to be one of the highlights of my baseball career to this point," Wainwright said. "One of the coolest things I can say I did is to start a big league All-Star game." Kershaw understood Mathenys decision. "If Im him, Im probably going to pick Adam, too. Its his guy and he had the best half," Kershaw said. Hernandez, the first Venezuela pitcher to start for the All-Stars, also has sterling credentials: an 11-2 record with a 2.12 ERA. He described his task pretty simply: "Just throw zeroes out there and get my team to win. Thats all I got to do," he said. Back in the great pitching era of the 1960s, the game was different. Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal expected to finish what they started. Now, flame-throwers come out of the bullpen in the middle of games. "Youre not getting three, four at-bats off of the starter unless youre in trouble and youre losing the game," said Baltimores Matt Wieters, elected as a starting catcher but sidelined following elbow surgery. "I think for a while it was trying to get the starter out of the game so you can get to that fifth, sixth, seventh-inning guy. And now those fifth, sixth, seventh-inning guys are throwing upper 90s with a good breaking ball." In addition to pitchers, the spotlight will be on New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter. The shortstop, who turned 40 last month, is playing his final season and was selected for his 14th All-Star game. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera got an emotional sendoff last year, the All-Stars giving him a solo bow. When Rivera entered in the eighth inning all other players left him the field to himself. Cal Ripken Jr. was given a tribute at the start of the 2001 game at Seattles Safeco Field when Alex Rodriguez told Ripken just before the first pitch to switch positions and move from third base to shortstop, where the Baltimore star spent most of his career. The 40-year-old Ripken then homered in the third inning. And two years ago, Atlantas Chipper Jones was feted with a standing ovation at Kauffman Stadium when he pinch hit in the sixth inning and singled. What will Jeters All-Star finale be like? "I dont go into things with expectations," he said. "Im looking forward to playing the game. Ive pretty much stopped it right there." The game is being played in Minneapolis for the third time, following the NLs 6-5 win at Metropolitan Stadium in 1965 and a dull 6-1 NL victory indoors at the Metrodome in 1985. Oakland, a big league-best 59-36 at the break, has seven All-Stars for the first time since 1975. It got another win on Monday night when Yoenis Cespedes beat Cincinnatis Todd Frazier 9-1 in the final round to become the first repeat champion of the Home Run Derby since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998 and 99. The Athletics have some incentive for an AL victory in the All-Star game; since 2003, the winners league gets to start the World Series at home, and 23 of the last 28 titles were won by teams scheduled to host four of a possible seven games. "I dont think you can ever underestimate the home-field advantage in a post-season," said AL manager John Farrell, who led Boston to a six-game win over St. Louis last year. "To have that final game potentially in your home ballpark, that goes a long way to affecting the outcome." Lee Roy Selmon Jersey . LOUIS -- The St. Justin Evans Jersey . Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports.MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens want to accentuate the positive after blowing a 3-1 lead in the third period of their playoff game in Boston. Coach Michel Therrien said on a conference call on Sunday that his team was happy to be home from Boston with a split of the opening two games of the best-of-seven NHL Eastern Conference second round series. The Canadiens pulled out a 4-3 overtime win in the series opener on Thursday, but let a lead slip away under relentless Bruins pressure in a 5-3 defeat on Saturday afternoon at the TD Garden. The third and fourth games will be played Tuesday and Thursday respectively at the Bell Centre. "We went to play two games where its tough for any team to play in the NHL and were out of there with the series tied," said Therrien. "Thats the big picture. "I think its a boost of confidence for our players that were able to compete with that team and play with that team. And one thing for sure, playing at the Bell Centre, with the fans and support weve got, is a tough place for the other team to play. Im sure the players will feed off our fans." The Canadiens were given the day off Sunday and will practice Monday at their suburban training centre to prepare for Game 3. While the Canadiens took home ice advantage away from Boston, the Bruins looked to have grabbed momentum in the series with four third-period goals. "Momentum, yes its a part of hockey, but theres nothing you can do about the past," said Therrien. "Whats important is the moment. "Our preparation for the next game has alreaady started. Vinny Curry Jersey. From the coaching standpoint, there are going to be things well apply during practice and make sure we apply them in the next game. "Momentum starts when they drop the puck." He denied that the Canadiens were nursing a lead in the third period before the Bruins stormed back. He said Boston had only one scoring chance in the third 10 minutes and scored on their first real chance of the final frame. Defenceman Josh Gorges said the players want to put Game 2 behind them. "Theres no sense in celebrating too much after a win or beating yourself up after a loss," he said. "It doesnt do anything for you for the next game. We know where we stand. We know we have to be better." Therrien would not discuss any potential lineup changes. He said winger Brandon Prust, who looks to be struggling, is "totally healthy" and that he liked what he saw from rookie winger Michael Bournival, who returned to the lineup after sitting out a game in favour of veteran Travis Moen. "He had a really good first round,"said Therrien, who used Bournival in every game of an opening round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "We put him back in the lineup. I wanted to use his speed. I thought he did a good job with (Tomas) Plekanec." Therrien also said he hopes that popular singer Ginette Reno would be back to sing the Canadian anthem in Game 3. The Canadiens scored early after she sang in both home games against the Lightning. "Wed welcome her with open arms," he said. 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