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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Three alternating batters for each team would take three swings each with the most homers deciding a winner.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In round two, outfielder Randy Arozarena added a homer for a 3-1 AL edge.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Schwarber joked that if he had been trying to smash homers, he likely would have hit the ball into his teammates in the dugout.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“Just happy that it worked out for us and the National League is going home with a win.”<\/p>\n
Schwarber, named the All-Star Game MVP for his homer heroics, took inspiration from cheering teammates in the unusual situation.<\/p>\n
“It was awesome. The guys were really into it,” Schwarber said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The AL still leads 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.<\/p>\n
An automated ball-strike challenge system, tested in pre-season games, was used in the All-Star Game.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It alllows pitchers, batters or catchers to challenge an umpire’s call using a system similar to automated line calls in tennis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The MLB competition committee is considering adopting the system for the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
– NL dominate early –<\/p>\n
AL left-handed starting pitcher Tarik Skubal of Detroit was tagged from the start.<\/p>\n
Japanese star Shohei Ohtani,\u00a0a 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Moments later came the historic first pitch call challenged under the new system.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Witt took third on a ground out and Steven Kwan tapped an infield single to third to bring in Witt with the tying run.<\/p>\n
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