Pompey delivers MWL All-Star win

DAYTON, Ohio -- Twenty-six pitchers toed the rubber during the 49th annual Midwest League All-Star Game.

Then with two outs, Lansing's Dalton Pompey (Blue Jays) drilled a single to center field to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the East topped the West, 6-5.

The winning squad utilized 14 pitchers to the West's 12. No hurler went more than an inning in front of 8,746 at Fifth Third Field.

West Michigan's Devon Travis (Tigers) was named the game's Most Valuable Player. The 13^th-round draft pick by Detroit in 2012 entered the game in the fourth and connected for his team's first hit, a single, after the West had taken a 2-0 lead.

In the four-run fifth, Travis smacked a shot to right field that split the outfielders, rolling to the fence for a bases-clearing triple.

"This is about as special as it gets," he said. "It really is a true honor. I didn't think (the ball) would get over (the outfielder's) head."

Reserve Zach Vincej of Dayton (Reds) also thrilled the hometown crowd by extending the lead with an RBI single in the seventh. But the West scored three times in the top of the ninth -- twice on a double by Cedar Rapids' Niko Goodrum (Twins).

"It was tough giving up three runs in the ninth, but there are great players on this team," said Pompey, who had South Bend's Brandon Drury (D-backs) on third and two outs on the scoreboard when he came to the plate in the ninth.

He ran the count full, taking a second strike on the penultimate pitch. Then he drilled a pitch to center.

"It was great to get it over," said Pompey, who hit .232 with 20 RBIs in the first half of the season. "I saw where the shortstop [Goodrum] was, and I was pretty sure it would get through."

Dan Vogelbach (Cubs) got the West on the board with an RBI double and a sacrifice fly by Jorge Polanco (Twins) plated him in the second inning.

Beloit's Ryan Dull (A's) took the loss after coming into the game with 12 saves in as many opportunities during the regular season. He's 1-1 with an ERA of 2.10.

South Bend's RJ Hively (D-backs) suffered a blown save for his one inning of work, but then picked up the victory. He led the circuit with 18 saves in 19 opportunities in the first half of the season.