NEW YORK – Tuesday held at lot of firsts for St. Amant native Ben Sheets.

The former St. Amant High School and University of Louisiana at Monroe All-American pitcher, now the ace of the Milwaukee Brewers staff in the majors, started for the National League All-Stars during Major League Baseball’s 79th All-Star Game, held at Yankee Stadium.

Unfortuantely for Sheets, he did not factor into the decision, as the historical game ended in the 15th inning with the American League taking a 4-3 win.

Besides the start being Sheets’ first time to take the mound to begin an All-Star game, it marked the first time any Milwaukee Brewers pitcher earned the starting nod in the annual contest between the National and American league’s top players.

The appearance was Sheets’ fifth All-Star honor. He was named an All-Star in 2001, 2004 and 2007 prior to this year’s nomination.

Sheets also said that the experience gave him his first visit to Yankee Stadium, one of baseball’s most historic stadiums. The stadium will be closed after this season to make way for a new stadium next door.

The moment also marked the first time a pitcher from St. Amant High School started in the All-Star Game.

“It’s a very huge honor,” Sheets said of being named to the team, which was determined by fan voting. “It’s something I really didn’t think about, but right before I left, a lot of my teammates really wanted me to have this opportunity. The more they asked me, the more I realized how big an opportunity this would be.”

National League All-Star manager Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies named Sheets the AL starter only days prior to the contest.

Sheets pitched two scoreless innings in the contest and struck out three batters, but he left two runners in scoring position after both stole second on him.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee started for the American League, allowing a hit, striking out three in his two innings of work for Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona and the AL squad.

With runners at second and third and the game knotted at 3-3 in the 15th inning, the Texas Rangers’ Michael Young hit a sacrifice fly to right. Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins slid under the tag at home plate, allowing the AL to defeat the NL 4-3 in Tuesday.

Tampa Bay Devil Ray hurler Scott Kazmir worked a scoreless 15th inning to pick up the victory for the American League, while Philadelphia Phillies reliever Brad Lidge took the loss for the National League.

The game took four hours and 50 minutes to complete, shattering the record for the longest All-Star game ever. The 15 innings played matches the game record set in 1967.

With the win, the American League extended its unbeaten streak in the All-Star Game to 12 and will again have home-field advantage in this fall’s World Series.

In the 2008 season, Sheets currently sports a record of 10-3 in 18 appearances, with an ERA of 2.85. He has one shutout and one complete game on ths season. He has allowed 39 earned runs and one unearned run, struck out 108 batters and walked only 28 batters in 123 innings pitched.

Sheets started on Opening Day of the 2008 regular seaston, earning a 4-3 win over the Brewers’ NL Central rival Chicago Cubs.

Sheets is in his eight season with the Brewers, after the team selected him with the 10th overall pick in the 1999 draft.