All-snubs All-Star team led by Paul Konerko, Andrew McCutchen - MLB

A lineup of shoulda-been All-Stars:

Catcher – Miguel Montero (Diamondbacks): The AL found room for three catchers, while the NL had just two. It really should have been the other way around. While it would have been just fine for the AL to leave either Russell Martin or Matt Wieters off the team, the NL had three deserving choices in Brian McCann, Yadier Molina and Montero. Montero has hit .270/.344/.457 with nine homers and 40 RBI this season. McCann and AL starter Alex Avila are the only catchers with more RBI.

First base – Paul Konerko (White Sox), Mark Teixeira (Yankees): Blame a system that’s gotten too structured; the AL had to take a second actual DH in Michael Young and still carry backups at every infield position. If manager Ron Washington had a free hand to simply make Young the backup at second or even a utilityman, then there would have been room for Konerko. Even so, it’s rather absurd that the AL team is carrying three catchers, seven outfielders and just two (Adrian Gonzalez and Miguel Cabrera) from a bumper crop of first basemen. At least Konerko should win the Final Vote.

Second base – Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox): No big complaints here; only four second basemen were chosen and they were arguably the four most deserving in Robinson Cano and Howie Kendrick in the AL and Rickie Weeks and Brandon Phillips in the NL. Pedroia, now that he’s found his stroke, certainly could have been taken over Kendrick. However, as a result of Pedroia’s slow start, Kendrick does have the better OPS of the two by 40 points.

Third base – Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox): I was just happy to see Chipper Jones make it as an NL reserve, though the suddenly red hot Aramis Ramirez may have been more deserving. Adrian Beltre was picked over Youkilis to back up Alex Rodriguez in the AL even though Youkilis has the better OPS by 100 points. Still, Beltre is the superior defender and he was one of the AL’s 10-best players last year.

Shortstop – Jhonny Peralta (Tigers): If it were my call, the AL roster would have had three first basemen, three shortstops, two catchers and six outfielders. Peralta, not Asdrubal Cabrera, has been the league’s best offensive shortstop, having hit .311/.359/.538 with 14 homers this season. I’d still have taken Cabrera first because of his defense, but both deserved to go.

Outfield – Andrew McCutchen (Pirates), Shane Victorino (Phillies), Alex Gordon (Royals): Now this might be the biggest All-Star mystery of all; the NL is carrying eight outfielders, only one of whom (Matt Kemp) actually plays center field. McCautchen, who is hitting .289/.390/.493 with 12 homers and 15 stolen bases and is the best player on one of the game’s biggest surprises, didn’t even make the Final Vote ballot for some bizarre reason. Victorino did. He’s been just as productive as McCutchen, though in 14 fewer games. Gordon, who is hitting .301/.368/.491, had a fair case on merit alone and should have been the Royals rep over reliever Aaron Crow.

Pitcher: CC Sabathia (Yankees), Tommy Hanson (Braves), Anibal Sanchez (Marlins), Michael Pineda (Mariners), Dan Haren (Angels), Jordan Zimmermann (Nationals), Francisco Cordero (Reds): Incredibly enough, I’m pretty much fine with the pitchers selected. I don’t get why Ron Washington didn’t take Sabathia, who is due to pitch the Sunday before the All-Star Game, and then just go ahead and replace him later. That’s expected to happen with Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez and James Shields, so Pineda and Haren still might make the team. In the NL, Bruce Bochy’s selection of Ryan Vogelsong was controversial. Vogelsong has been a terrific story, though, and I can’t say I’m too upset to see him go.

PITTSBURGH – Andrew McCutchen’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning lifted Pittsburgh to a 5-4 victory over Oakland on Monday night, extending the Pirates’ win streak to six games and sending the Athletics to their record-tying 15th consecutive road loss.

The 15 straight defeats away from home matches the Athletics’ record since they moved from Kansas City in 1968. Oakland set that mark in 1986.

The major league-worst Athletics (12-50) have lost five games in a row overall. They are on pace to finish the season exactly 100 games under .500 at 31-131.

“It’s tough,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight’s game, we didn’t play well enough to win the game. I don’t want to say we gave the game away but there were a lot of instances where we had a chance to capitalize on opportunities and didn’t do it.”

McCutchen also singled and drew three walks to go with two RBIs. The 2013 NL MVP now has 1,998 career hits.

With the score tied at 4, Ji Hwan Bae led off the decisive eighth inning with a single off Sam Moll (0-3) and advanced to third on Austin Hedges’ one-out single. McCutchen’s sac fly plated Bae.

“I was just trying to get the job done. I understand the situation there,” McCutchen said. “We just need to get the run. I was trying to bear down against a hard thrower and trying to get that run in as much as I can, and I was able to do it and have a good at-bat.”

Angel Perdomo (1-0) retired both hitters he faced. and Colin Holdeman pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first career save. It was an eventful inning for Holderman as the first three batters reached base, but he struck out Carlos Perez with runners on the corners to end it.

“I began my career as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues but ever since I was switched to relief, this has been the goal, to get a save in the big leagues,” Holderman said.

Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo gave up three runs and four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Oakland left-hander JP Sears did not allow a hit until Mark Mathias’ leadoff single in the fifth but was unable to make it through the inning. Sears was charged with one run in 4 2/3 innings while allowing two hits, walking five and striking out six.

Sears has not allowed more than two runs in five consecutive starts. His nine no-decisions are the most in the major leagues.

Ryan Noda and Brent Rooker had two hits each for the Athletics.

The Athletics tied the score at 4-4 in the eighth inning on pinch-hitter Aledmys Diaz’s run-scoring double. Oakland left the bases loaded, though, when Nick Allen hit an inning-ending flyout.

Consecutive bases-loaded walks keyed a three-run sixth inning that put the Pirates 4-3. McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds each worked bases on balls off Shintaro Fujinami to tie the score at 3-all and pinch-hitter Jack Suwinski followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Athletics opened the scoring in the first inning when rookie Esteury Ruiz reached on catcher’s interference, stole his MLB-leading 30th base of the season and scored on Noda’s single. Seth Brown doubled in a run in the third and came home on Perez’s sacrifice fly to push Oakland’s lead to 3-0.

Connor Joe hit an RBI double for the Pirates in the fifth.

The Pirates drew 10 walks, their most in a game in nearly two years.

“We had a bunch of opportunities that we didn’t capitalize (on), but the thing I think I was most proud of is we got down and we didn’t rush to get back,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “We were still patient.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Kirby Snead (strained shoulder) is expected to pitch in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, which will be his first game action since spring training. … RHP Freddy Tarnok (strained shoulder) will throw a bullpen on Tuesday.

TOP PICK PROMOTED

Pirates catching prospect Henry Davis was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona. In 41 games at Double-A this season, the 23-year-old hit .284 with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases.

“He was performing offensively at a level where we felt like he was more than ready to meet the challenges,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “He improved as an offensive player even since spring training, focusing on the things we were challenging him on. Defensively, he’s made strides too.”

Davis was the first overall selection in the 2021 amateur draft from the University of Louisville.

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Athletics RHP James Kaprielian (0-6, 8.12 ERA) will make his first start in June after taking the loss in all four starts in May and face RHP Mitch Keller (7-1, 3.25). Keller has eight or more strikeouts in seven consecutive starts, the longest streak by a Pirates pitcher in the modern era (since 1901).