Jul 13, 2005, 5:12 GMT
American League infielder Miguel Tejada of the Baltimore Orioles holds up the MVP trophy after the 76th Major League Baseball All Star game at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday, 12 July 2005. EPA/JEFF KOWALSKY
Washington - Dominican Republic native Miguel Tejada was named most-valuable player as he sparked the American League to a 7-5 victory over the rival National League Tuesday at major-league baseball's mid-season All-Star Game in Detroit, Michigan.
The Baltimore Orioles shortstop give the AL a lead that carried throughout the game with a second-inning home-run shot.
In the first inning, Tejada had already snuffed out a potential National League rally by knocking down a sharp ground ball to start a double play.
In the fourth inning Japan's Ichiro Suzuki, a Seattle Mariners outfielder, slapped a two-run single.
The American League stretched the lead to 7-0 by the sixth inning before the National League got on the board. The National League all- stars scored in each of the last three innings but fell short in a ninth-inning rally.
Tejada's fellow Dominican, Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, drove made it 2-0 with an RBI single in the third inning. Also batted in the third and added his second RBI on a fielder's choice.
The American League victory secured home-field advantage for its eventual champion in the World Series in late October.
Detroit's Comerica Park had 41,617 in attendance Tuesday.
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