The National League won its third consecutive All-Star Game in an 8-0 laugher over the American League in Kansas City tonight.

AL starting pitcher Justin Verlander displayed little form from his 2011 MVP/Cy Young season giving up five runs in the first inning. The Tigers righty surrendered a RBI double to reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun, a bases loaded triple to San Francisco Giants Pablo Sandoval and a RBI single to Atlanta Braves second baseman Dan Uggla. Both hits went into right field where Jose Bautista could not see them in the sun. Bautista would later make a spectacular sliding catch off the bat of Ryan Braun in one of the few bright spots for the AL tonight.

The NL added three runs in the fourth off Texas Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison. Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals singled in a run and then Harrison surrendered a two run homerun to Giants centerfielder Melky Cabrera who was named the All-Star Game MVP. Cabrera went 2 for 3 with a homerun and two RBI.

It was the last All-Star Game for Braves legend Chipper Jones who singled in his only at bat. It was the first All-Star Game for Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper. However, it was an All-Star Game he’d rather forget as he lost a flyball either in the lights or in the dusk on a ball hit by Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko. Fortunately for Harper and the NL, the AL did not take advantage of the extra out.

Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants, the NL starting pitcher, got the win while Verlander was tagged with the loss.

The 2013 All-Star Game will be played at Citi Field in New York.