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Abreu tops all stars at EL game

Bowie second baseman stands out at plate, on field in South's win
July 15, 2009
Two hits, two runs, two stolen bases and a couple of nice defensive plays earned Bowie second baseman Miguel Abreu the Top Star Award at the Eastern League All-Star Game on Wednesday.

"It's a good feeling," Abreu said. "It feels great. It feels beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Just play the game right and sometimes good things happen."

The South topped the North, 5-3, on 10 hits, and Abreu was the only member of the South's squad to record a multi-hit game. But Abreu's most memorable moment of the game actually came on defense, namely a diving play at second.

"I felt like it saved a run," he said. "It was going to be a tie score. I tried so hard to make that play."

After receiving the Top Star Award, Abreu also got a surprise from his teammates -- a shaving cream pie in the face.

"These guys are pretty nice," he said. "I guess that happens in baseball. I've never had that happen in my life before. It's a good feeling."

Trenton shortstop Eduardo Nunez and catcher Jesus Montero did not disappoint the home crowd at Waterfront Park, as they each collected two hits. Montero also blocked the plate to prevent a run from scoring in the ninth.

Montero has been terrific since signing with the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in October 2006. The 19-year-old native of Venezuela was promoted to Double-A on June 3. Between Trenton and Tampa, the backstop has batted .330, third-best in the Yankees organization. He is hitting .287 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 29 games with the Thunder.

Nunez is not far behind Montero in the organizational standings. His .306 average ranks seventh. The Dominican Republic native has six homers and 34 RBIs with the Thunder.

Binghamton left fielder D.J. Wabick also recorded two hits, including a double, and an RBI.

Both squads had two pitchers throw perfect innings. New Britain's Matt Fox (6-4, 3.54 ERA) and Portland's Dustin Richardson (2-1, 2.61) were spotless for the North.

Harrisburg's Josh Wilkie (5-2, 2.58) and Akron's Jeanmar Gomez (6-3, 3.21) were flawless for the South. Perfect innings at Waterfront Park aren't new to Gomez, as the 21-year-old righty threw a perfect game in Trenton on May 21.

Thunder starter Zach McAllister (5-4, 2.25) and Reading counterpart Joe Savery (12-1, 3.48) set a steady pace by each allowing one hit in their single frame of work. McAllister paces the circuit in ERA, and Savery has the most wins in the league to date.

Mike Fassi, a rising senior at New Egypt High School in New Egypt, N.J., showed up six Eastern League sluggers and a fellow high school standout by winning the Home Run Derby. He hit four to snare the title.

New Hampshire's Brian Dopirak finished second in the derby. Dopirak (.308) tops the Eastern League in homers (19), RBIs (68), doubles (29), slugging percentage (.576) and extra-base hits (49).

Kira Jones is an associate reporter for MLB.com.