ST. LOUIS — At 2 hours, 31 minutes, that was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988. Twins closer Joe Nathan took some grief though for that long, tense eighth inning.

The AL had retired 18 consecutive batters before Nathan walked Adrian Gonzalez with two outs after being ahead in the count 1-2.

“[Joe] Mauer let me know I screwed that up,” Nathan said.

Mauer also ribbed Nathan about these AL pitch counts: Buehrle 9, Greinke 10, Jackson 4 (yes, four pitches to get through the fifth inning), Hernandez 8, Papelbon 10 … and Nathan 19.

Nathan’s battle with St. Louis native Ryan Howard was the game’s tensest moment. With a 2-2 count, Nathan struck Howard out with a nasty slider in the dirt.

“I think everybody in the park was waiting for [the slider],” Nathan said. “I got into the dugout and all the guys were giving me heat because I should have thrown it probably four pitches before that.”

Nathan has a 2.25 ERA in four All-Star appearances.

“I’ve seen [Nathan] do it a million times,” Justin Morneau said. “I have confidence that he’s going to get out of any jam he gets into.”

Note: I have Morneau’s reaction to the canned version of “O Canada” in the notes.

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