Lee, Sheets are All-Star starting pitchers

NEW YORK, July 14 (UPI) -- Cleveland's Cliff Lee and Milwaukee's Ben Sheets were selected the starting pitchers for Tuesday's Major League All-Star game.

National League Manager Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies tabbed Sheets, 10-3 with a 2.85 earned run average, as his starter. Boston Manager Terry Francona, the American League skipper, chose Lee, who is 12-2 with a 2.31 ERA.

The starting pitchers and lineups were announced Monday in New York, where the All-Star game is to be played Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.

Hurdle said his lead-off hitter is Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, followed by Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley, Houston first baseman Lance Berkman and St Louis's Albert Pujols, who is the designated hitter.

The remainder of the NL lineup has Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones batting fifth with outfielders Matt Holliday of Colorado, Ryan Braun of Milwaukee and Kosuke Fukudome of Chicago, hitting sixth through eighth. Chicago catcher Geovany Soto bats ninth.

Seattle right-fielder Ichiro Suzuki is to lead off for the America League ahead of New York shortstop Derek Jeter and Texas center-fielder Josh Hamilton. Jeter's teammate Alex Rodriguez plays third and bats fourth.

Red Sox dot the bottom of the lineup with left-fielder Manny Ramirez hitting fifth, first baseman Kevin Youkilis seventh and second baseman Dustin Pedroia ninth. Texas DH Milton Bradley was written in at the No. 6 spot and Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer hits eighth.