Goldschmidt selected All-Star starter

PHOENIX -- Paul Goldschmidt is headed to his third straight All-Star Game.

It often might seem as though the Diamondbacks first baseman crushes opposing pitching in relative anonymity in Arizona, but Goldschmidt garnered more than 9.1 million votes to run away with the selection at his position.

Goldschmidt becomes the first D-backs player to start an All-Star Game twice.

"We saw it last year here, with all the fans getting out and voting for me. It's pretty cool," Goldschmidt said. "I'm very appreciative of everyone's support here in Phoenix and around the state and country. And maybe the world, I guess you can vote anywhere.

"It's been fun the last couple years and hopefully it will be the same this year, and we'll go out there and try to win the game."

Goldschmidt leads the NL with a .348 average, is second in OPS (1.087) and RBIs (67) and fifth in home runs (20).

"He's the best first baseman in baseball for me," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "He's always, whether things are going his way or not, ready to go and positive. For a manager, that's a great thing because the other guys look up to him.

"We always talk about the journey and this has been his journey. He wasn't a highly sought after guy out of high school or college even and look what he's turned into. A lot of kids around this country can look up to him and say, 'Maybe I'm not the guy everyone wants to draft or take to the major colleges, but look what he did; I can do that.'"

Also voted NL All-Stars for the July 14 game at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati were Giants catcher Buster Posey, Marlins second baseman Dee Gordon, Reds third baseman Todd Frazier and Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Outfielders selected were the Nationals' Bryce Harper -- who garnered 13.8 million votes to lead the NL -- Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton and Cardinals' Matt Holliday.

Stanton and Holiday both are on the disabled list.

Selected for the AL were Royals catcher Salvador Perez, Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar and Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz. In the AL outfield will be the Angels' Mike Trout and the Royals' Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon.

Reserve players in the both league will be announced Monday night. D-backs center fielder A.J. Pollock makes a strong case for inclusion in his first All-Star Game.

"Hopefully we can get one or two more guys on there," Hale said. "(Pollock) deserves it. When the players and managers vote, I'll be very interested to see how that comes out, because when you play against him you know how valuable he is."

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