Washington (AFP) – Kyle Schwarber smashed three home runs on three swings in a tie-breaker swing-off to lift the National League over the American League 4-3 in Monday’s 95th Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The first such decider used at the All-Star Game was baseball’s version of a football penalty shootout, coming after the teams were deadlocked 6-6 through nine innings in Atlanta. Three alternating batters for each team would take three swings each with the most homers deciding a winner.
Brent Rooker blasted two homers in three swings to give the AL the lead while Kyle Stowers hit one in response to open for the NL. In round two, outfielder Randy Arozarena added a homer for a 3-1 AL edge. NL designated hitter Schwarber, a 32-year-old American who plays for Philadelphia, then responded by going three-for-three in blasting homers to give the NL the lead. When Jonathan Aranda of the AL couldn’t manage an equalizer homer on his three swings, the NL finally had a victory after having seized a 6-0 lead in the game.
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Schwarber joked that if he had been trying to smash homers, he likely would have hit the ball into his teammates in the dugout. “Just trying to not hit a home run I guess, just trying to stay short, because if I had tried to hit a home run I would have probably hit my guys,” Schwarber said. “Just happy that it worked out for us and the National League is going home with a win.” Schwarber, named the All-Star Game MVP for his homer heroics, took inspiration from cheering teammates in the unusual situation.
“It was awesome. The guys were really into it,” Schwarber said. “They were yelling, screaming, cheering me on every swing and then when that last one goes over, they were all pumped. It was a lot of fun.” It also kept the AL from making the biggest victory fightback in All-Star Game history, eclipsing the five-run rally by the NL in 1955. The AL still leads the NL 48-45 with two drawn in the all-time rivalry. While the AL has won 10 of 12 contests, the NL has taken two of the past three.
An automated ball-strike challenge system, tested in pre-season games, was used in the All-Star Game. It allows pitchers, batters, or catchers to challenge an umpire’s call using a system similar to automated line calls in tennis. The MLB competition committee is considering adopting the system for the 2026 season.
– NL dominate early –
AL left-handed starting pitcher Tarik Skubal of Detroit was tagged from the start. Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, a three-time Most Valuable Player who led the Los Angeles Dodgers to last year’s MLB crown, opened for the NL with a line drive single and advanced on an infield single by Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna. That set the stage for a two-run double to right field by Arizona’s Ketel Marte, a 31-year-old Dominican second baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks, for a 2-0 NL lead.
Moments later came the historic first pitch call challenged under the new system. A ball was called on a no-ball, two-strike Skubal pitch to NL slugger Manny Machado but overturned to a strike on appeal, producing a strikeout in the first inning. Pete Alonzo smashed a three-run homer and Corbin Carroll added a solo homer in the sixth inning to boost the NL advantage to 6-0, but the AL roared back with four runs in the seventh and two more in the ninth.
Rooker smashed a three-run homer in the seventh while Maikel Garcia walked, stole second, reached third on a throwing error, and scored on a Bobby Witt Jr. ground out to pull the AL within 6-4. In the AL ninth, Byron Buxton and Witt hit back-to-back one-out doubles to right field to lift the AL within 6-5. Witt took third on a ground out, and Steven Kwan tapped an infield single to third to bring in Witt with the tying run.
© 2024 AFP
