By Morris Phillips

MINNEAPOLIS–Derek Jeter and Mike Trout—a top of the order pair for the ages—led the American League past the National League, 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Jeter made a diving stop on the game’s initial play, became the oldest All-Star to collect a pair of hits, and a scored a run before exiting to an extended standing ovation in the fourth inning. And Trout—considered the game’s current best all-around player—tripled off the right field wall, doubled down the left field line and collected the game’s MVP trophy.

The mid-summer showcase–held in the Twins’ $545 million outdoor ballpark built in 2010—lived up to the hype this time with its explosive offense early and dominating pitching late. The American League won for the 13th time in the last 17 All-Star games and captured the home field advantage in this fall’s World Series.

After the game, the game’s two stars—18 years apart in age—expressed their mutual admiration.

“He’s got a bright future ahead of him,” Jeter said of the 22-year old Trout. “I don’t know how much better he can get, but if he consistently does what he’s doing, then he will be here for a long time.”

“Growing up I was setting goals to myself that when I get—if I ever get the chance—to the big leagues, that’s how I want to play,” Trout said of Jeter’s all out style of play. “The way he carries himself on and off the field, how he respects the game—always hustling—it doesn’t matter what the score is.”

Trout’s triple in the first inning scored Jeter and ignited a three-run outburst for the AL against NL starter Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals’ pitcher, having maybe his finest season in a stellar career, struggled, allowing three hits, including a two-run homer to Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, in his only inning of work.

Cabrera homered for the first time in his All-Star career, showing off his quick hands that adjusted to Wainwright’s inside fastball, pulling it down the line with a shot that got into the first couple of rows of left field bleacher seats. The Detroit star’s homer came on a 0-1 pitch and it took just 15 Wainwright pitches for the National League to establish a 3-0 lead.

The National League answered back in the second inning with a pair of runs off Boston’s Jon Lester. The Phillies’ Chase Utley doubled home Aramis Ramirez, and Ramirez’ Milwaukee teammate Jonathan Lucroy followed with a RBI double that scored Utley.

In the fourth, Lucroy struck again, doubling home the Dodgers’ Dee Gordon and the game was tied. Lucroy’s smash came off the White Sox’s Chris Sale who was a revelation in his one inning of work in 2013 All-Star game in New York. This time Sale hit Utley with a pitch, who was then taken out for pitch runner Gordon. The speedy Dodger then raced around the bases on Lucroy’s smash which came on a 3-1 pitch from Sale.

Trout gave the American League the lead for good with his RBI double in the fifth that scored Oakland’s Derek Norris. Houston’s Jose Altuve followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Alexei Ramirez who singled after Norris reached.

With the late Northern sunset still minutes away after 9pm, Jeter exited the game in the fourth inning to a standing ovation when he took his position at shortstop and was replaced by Ramirez of the White Sox. Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” played throughout the stadium as the crowd cheered the Yankee captain’s exit.

‘I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Jeter confessed. “My back was turned, and I heard (former Yankee teammate Robinson) Cano yelling. Usually when he yells, I ignore him. And then I saw Ramirez come out. So it was a wonderful moment that I am always going to remember.”

Jeter’s exit rivaled former teammate Mariano Rivera’s entrance at last year’s All-Star game. The all-time saves leader was feted at New York’s Citi Field in his final All-Star appearance as his AL teammates allowed him to take the field by himself to extended cheers before he pitched the eighth inning that night.

The 40-year old Jeter’s innate ability to stay calm in big moments was again on display Tuesday. Through his diving stop in the first inning to his two hits, the superstar remained in the moment, focused on the task at hand. This was Jeter’s 14th All-Star appearance and he finished with the second highest batting average in the game’s history (.481, 14 for 27) for hitters with more than 20 at-bats.