Lincecum hospitalized, misses All-Star game

Tim Lincecum didn't make it to his first All-Star game Tuesday night.

The National League sure could have used him.

Hospitalized earlier in the day with flulike symptoms, the hard-throwing San Francisco star wasn't around when manager Clint Hurdle called to the bullpen late in the game.

And called. And called again.

Massaging and managing a tired pitching staff, Hurdle got by until the game kept going deeper into extra innings. Aaron Cook got out of jams in the 10th, 11th and 12th, thanks to some slick defense behind him, and Carlos Marmol and Brandon Webb each survived an inning.

The only pitcher still available for either side, Brad Lidge came on in the 15th and gave up a leadoff single to Justin Morneau, who scored on Michael Young's sacrifice fly to give the American League a 4-3 victory after 4 hours, 50 minutes.

"We had what we had," said Hurdle, who jokingly said Mets third baseman David Wright would have been next to take the hill. "I'm proud of the way the pitchers we gave the ball to showed up."

Lincecum's big right arm would have come in handy, but the 24-year-old was taken from his hotel to New York Presbyterian Hospital for flulike symptoms and dehydration earlier in the day. He was released Tuesday afternoon but was not well enough to make the game, a Giants spokesman said.

"It would have been nice having him here, but you have to get the job done," catcher Geovany Soto said.

Lincecum's locker between starter Ben Sheets and Edinson Volquez was untouched before the game, his jersey and Giants hat hanging on a hook on the wall. It was cleared out long before the game finally ended.

Lincecum was one of several pitchers on the NL roster who threw Sunday, Lidge among them, giving Hurdle an exhausted group for the Midsummer Classic.

Still, the National League cobbled together one of its best performances in years.

They didn't allow a run in 12 of the 15 innings, and the four total runs allowed were the second-fewest since 1997. Sheets and his big breaking ball contributed three of their 17 strikeouts, and the staff pitched around four errors - three by Dan Uggla.

The American League stranded 17 of the game's record 28 base runners.

"The pitching was great," said Mets closer Billy Wagner, who gave up the tying run in the eight that eventually sent it to extra innings. "Those guys out there, the American League, they're really good. It's fun being in that atmosphere facing those guys."

One of three pitchers in Giants history to win 10 of his first 11 decisions, Lincecum (11-2) leads the major leagues with 135 strikeouts and is fourth among starters with a 2.57 ERA. He's lost just once since April 29.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday that Matt Cain would start their first game after the All-Star break, Friday against Milwaukee. Jonathan Sanchez is scheduled to pitch Saturday and Lincecum on Sunday, meaning Lincecum is unlikely to miss a start.

Giants reliever Brian Wilson, who retired the only two batters he faced in the eighth inning, said he hadn't spoken with Lincecum, who also missed the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade on Tuesday.

"I think it was just one of those things that just hit him this morning," said Wilson, who was left to ride alone in the back of a pickup truck up Sixth Avenue in Manhattan.