Jarren Duran’s 2-run homer lifts American League in All-Star Game : NPR

ARLINGTON, Texas — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a participant who retains his head down, works arduous and by no means thinks of himself as being higher than anyone else.

Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Recreation, hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer for the American League and being awarded the MVP trophy named after Boston Pink Sox legend Ted Williams.

“That is an honor. Who else would I need to attempt to comply with within the footsteps of moreover a man like that, who isn’t just a fantastic baseball participant however a fantastic human being,” Duran mentioned after turning into the fifth Pink Sox participant chosen All-Star Recreation MVP. “That man was superior, and I’m honored to have the ability to have his award.”

The decisive homer got here within the fifth inning Tuesday night time because the AL beat the Nationwide League 5-3 for its tenth win up to now 11 All-Star Video games.

Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani additionally went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead within the third.

Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the rating within the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.

“It’s a surreal second. So I’m simply grateful to be right here,” mentioned Duran, who was one in all 39 first-time All-Stars this yr.

Oakland right-hander Mason Miller obtained the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the quickest within the All-Star Recreation since monitoring started in 2008. Laborious-throwing Cleveland nearer Emmanuel Clase struck out two within the ninth for the save.

The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched solely 11 large league video games since being the No. 1 total decide within the draft final July, grew to become the primary rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest video games performed for any participant to make an All-Star workforce. The precise-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out stroll to Soto earlier than his Yankees teammate Aaron Choose grounded right into a forceout on the following pitch.

Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs as much as 100.1 mph.

“Frankly, I want I’d had just a few extra pitches to do this in the present day,” mentioned Skenes, who has mixture of pitches to go together with the arduous stuff. “It’s cool to convey eyes to the sport.”

Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 occasions within the first season of his file $700 million, 10-year cope with the Los Angeles Dodgers, pulled a 400-foot drive to proper off Tanner Houck. That got here after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the primary two batters he confronted: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.

“I haven’t actually hit effectively within the All-Star Recreation, so I’m simply relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani mentioned. “I simply centered on having an everyday at-bat as if I used to be within the common season.”

When Ohtani went in opposition to Miller within the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider effectively in and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of greater than 100 mph.

Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the primary Dodgers participant to go deep within the Midsummer Basic since Corridor of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his thirtieth birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.

Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking up for Soto in proper area, had a two-out single within the fifth earlier than Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had changed Choose in middle. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball earlier than going deep on an 86 mph splitter.

“I knew he threw actually arduous so I used to be simply praying he would throw me a primary pitch fastball so I may see how arduous it was. After that, I hoped to get a pitch up,” Duran mentioned. “He occurred to go away a pitch up. I occurred to place swing on it.”

The final Pink Sox participant to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.

Duran was voted by his friends as an All-Star after being the primary AL participant to enter the break with not less than 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.

The AL has a 48-44-2 file within the All-Star Recreation, and had gained 9 in a row earlier than the Nationwide League’s 3-2 victory final yr in Seattle.

AL starter Corbin Burnes arrived in Texas the morning of the sport after spending time at dwelling together with his new child twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a stroll after which a two-out double to Bryce Harper earlier than getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher final season in Milwaukee.

After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a giant smile on his face when he saved jogging and wrapped his arm round Contreras on the baseline.

Fast gamePlayed in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Recreation since 1988, a recreation that the AL gained 2-1 in Cincinnati that took solely two minutes much less.

Received in each leaguesBruce Bochy of the host Rangers grew to become the primary supervisor to win World Sequence titles and All-Star Video games in each leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star supervisor, main the NL to a win in 2011. He gained the World Sequence thrice with the NL’s San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them final yr.