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The American League had dominated the All-Star Game for 13 years, going 12-0-1 from 1997-2009.  And yet all that it took for the National League to finally win a Midsummer Classic was classic Yankee ineptitude in the form of poor pitching from outclassed young Yankee Phil Hughes and horrible managing from Yankee skipper Joe Girardi.

While Hughes has had a fluky first half, Girardi should have known the 24-year-old who’s floated back and forth between the minors, the bullpen and the rotation for the past few seasons, was not ready to come into a tie All-Star Game in the seventh inning.

But that’s exactly what Girardi asked Hughes to do, and Hughes predictably wasn’t up to the task.  Hughes retired only one of the three batters he faced, allowing hits to two NL scrubs — Cincinnati’s Scott Rolen and Matt Holliday of St. Louis.  Then instead of going to one of the many closers on his rosters — including Devil Rays superstar Rafael Soriano — Girardi brought in White Sox middle reliever Matt “Billy Bob” Thornton to serve up what turned out to be the game-winning two-run double to Atlanta’s overrated catcher Brian McCann.

Girardi had one last chance to redeem himself in the ninth inning when Home Run Derby champion David Ortiz, legendary for his clutchness, led off the inning with a clutch single off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton to bring the tying run to the plate. Girardi sat on his hands instead of pinch-running for the Santa Claus-like Ortiz, and also didn’t go to a pinch hitter.  In perhaps his only wise decision of the night, Girardi did leave the notoriously unclutch Alex Rodriguez on the bench for the entire game.

Predictably though a bunch of no names — injured Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre, Royals third baseman John Buck, and Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler — made the final three outs, giving the National League home-field advantage in the World Series.