NEW YORK—Matt Holliday homered and National League pitchers wriggled out of trouble several times to build a 2-0 lead over the AL through six innings in the All-Star game Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Lance Berkman added a long sacrifice fly for the NL, trying to snap an 0-10-1 skid in the Midsummer Classic since its most recent victory in 1996 at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium.

Ben Sheets, Carlos Zambrano and Dan Haren combined to shut down the Americans with two shutout innings apiece. The AL had four stolen bases but was 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

The game was scoreless through four innings for the first time since 1990 at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.

Leading off the fifth, Holliday drove a 2-2 pitch from Ervin Santana to the opposite field and far over the fence in right.

It was the first All-Star hit for Holliday, playing in the game for the third straight year. He started in right field as an injury replacement for Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs.

Hanley Ramirez and Chase Utley of the NL opened the sixth with singles off Justin Duchscherer, putting runners at the corners. Berkman followed with a drive to deep center for a sacrifice fly.

Ichiro Suzuki flashed his rocket arm in the fourth, throwing out Albert Pujols at second when he tried to stretch a single on his drive off the base of the right-field wall.

Pujols and Ramirez both had two hits.

Boston manager Terry Francona pulled Yankees starters Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter while the AL was on the field so they could receive ovations from the crowd as they trotted off.

“The best game I was ever in,” said Rodriguez, who went 0-for-2 with a strikeout. “Overwhelming. Tremendous support.”

Jeter singled and stole second in the first inning, but grounded into a double play in the third and bounced back to the mound with two on to end the fifth.

Starting pitchers Cliff Lee and Sheets both finished with three strikeouts in two innings. Enjoying a tremendous turnaround for Cleveland, Lee started the game by fanning Ramirez and Utley.

Sheets, the first Brewers pitcher to start an All-Star game, walked two in the second and then escaped trouble when Dustin Pedroia flied out.

Baseball’s grand salute to Yankee Stadium in its final season began with a pregame spectacle that included 49 Hall of Famers.

First, Ernie Banks addressed the NL All-Stars in their clubhouse, George Brett the AL squad.

Then, greats of the game such as Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Bob Feller walked in from the outfield and stood at their positions. They were introduced one by one, tipping caps from their former teams to the crowd.

When this year’s All-Star starters were introduced, they jogged out to their positions and greeted the Hall of Famers with handshakes and hugs. It was billed as the greatest collection of stars ever assembled on one field.

With all the players still out there, 78-year-old Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was driven to the mound on a cart as cameras flashed all around the 85-year-old ballpark.

The Boss delivered baseballs to Yankees Hall of Famers Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson and Goose Gossage for the ceremonial first pitches.