Sale-ute: Former FGCU standout an All-Star

Chris Sale put Florida Gulf Coast University on top of the mound and the baseball world Tuesday night. The former standout was selected as a Major League Baseball All-Star.

Sale, a first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 2010, is the first baseball player in school history to enjoy the honor.

“I keep saying it, but I’ll never forget this experience,’’ Sale told the Chicago Tribune after pitching a scoreless inning in the game. “It was really fun, better than I thought it would be.’’

Sale, who is 10-2 on the season, took the mound in the sixth inning. The lefthander got Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles to fly out to centerfield on his first pitch. He then faced his boyhood idol and future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves. Jones squeaked out a weak ground ball to the right side for a single.  Sale cherished the moment.

“I don’t usually like giving up hits, but that’s one that is easier to handle,’’ Sale told reporters about Jones’ single. “Somebody like him, he deserves (the hit). The ovation he got, the hit he got. I don’t think it could have been better.’’

After giving up another hit to Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, Sale got Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce to fly out and then put an exclamation point on his night by striking out last year’s World Series MVP David Freese of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The American League lost 8-0 but Sale proved for one inning why he is a winner.