National League wins All-Star game in swing-off, 4-3

After the game was tied at 6-6 through nine innings, Kyle Schwarber won the game for the National League with three home runs in the swing-off

The National League won a tightly contested All-Star Game in the first-ever All-Star swing-off, as Kyle Schwarber was named All-Star Game MVP.

Paul Skenes started for the National League, making his second All-Star Game start in as many years. Skenes started the game with strikeouts of Tigers stars Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene. Aaron Judge, the American League’s three hitter, didn’t fare much better, grounding out to NL second baseman Ketel Marte to end the inning.

In the bottom of the first, Skenes immediately received run support — something that has been somewhat of a rarity for him in recent weeks. Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña both recorded singles off of AL starter Tarik Skubal, putting runners on first and second for Marte. The Diamondbacks second baseman laced a line drive down the first-base line, scoring both runners to quickly put the NL ahead 2-0.

With Marte now on second, Skubal bore down. He got Freddie Freeman to ground out to third baseman Junior Caminero, preventing Marte from advancing. Skubal then struck out Manny Machado and Will Smith to get out of the innings and limit the damage to two runs.

Clayton Kershaw came in for the NL in the second inning. The first batter up, Home Run Derby winner Cal Raleigh, hit a hard line drive down the left field line, but Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker made a nice sliding catch to rob Raleigh of extra bases. Kershaw — selected as a “legend pick” by commissioner Rob Manfred — was pumped. The Dodger legend then caught Vladimir Guerrero Jr. staring at a slider for strike three. NL manager Dave Roberts brought in Jason Adam to face Ryan O’Hearn, who struck out swinging for the third out.

American League manager Aaron Boone tabbed Carlos Rodon for the bottom of the second. Rodon quickly retired Kyle Tucker and Francisco Lindor. Cubs centerfielder Pete-Crow Armstrong doubled to right, but Rodon was able to induce a Shohei Ohtani groundout to retire the side.

NL pitcher Logan Webb allowed a single to Caminero to start the top of the third, but retired the next three hitters — Javier Baez, Jacob Wilson, and Gleyber Torres.

Ronald Acuña, Marte, and Pete Alonso all failed to reach against Bryan Woo in the bottom of the frame. In the top of the fourth, the AL mounted a little rally — courtesy of singles from Raleigh and Guerrero Jr. — but Ryan Hearn grounded out to pitcher David Peterson to end the inning.

Neither team had another baserunner until the bottom of the sixth, when the National League broke the game open. Kansas City Royals starter Kris Bubic walked Fernando Tatis Jr., who immediately stole scond. Bubic then allowed an infield single to Brendan Donovan, putting runners on the corners for Pete Alonso. Alonso crushed the second pitch, a fastball up in the zone, to the opposite field for a three-run home run.

Bubic finally got an out courtesy of a Eugenio Suarez groundout, at which point he was pulled for Casey Mize. He retired Hunter Goodman, but Corbin Carroll barreled up a Mize slurve for the second home run of the inning. Mize would get out of the frame without any more damage, but the National League had broken the game open at 6-0.

The American League would almost immediately get three runs back in the top of the seventh. Alejandro Kirk and Jonathan Aranda reached off of Adrian Morejon to start the inning. Morejon was pulled for Randy Rodriguez, who threw a fastball down the middle to Brent Rooker. Bad idea. Rooker took him deep for a three-run shot, halving the National League’s lead.

Rodriguez got the first out, but walked Maikel Garcia after. Garcia stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Goodman, the catcher. Bobby Witt Jr. grounded out for the second out, but Garcia was able to score. Roberts then pulled Rodriguez for the Brewers’ own Trevor Megill, who got Steven Kwan to ground out to end the frame.

The National League couldn’t score in the bottom of the seventh. Roberts replaced Megill with Jacob Misiorowski in the top of the eighth. Misiorowski looked filthy while retiring three of the four batters he faced. He allowed a ground-ball single to Jonathan Aranda with two outs, but got Zach McKinstry to line out to end the inning. Miz also threw the pitch of the night:

Shane Smith came in for the bottom of the eighth to face Eugenio Suarez, who he hit in the hand. Suarez was shaken up, but remained in the game to run the bases.

Smith was able to get out of the inning with two on and two out by striking out Kyle Stowers.

Padres closer Robert Suarez came in to close the game in the top of the ninth, which he was unable to do. Suarez retired Maikel Garcia for the first out, but Byron Buxton doubled to put the tying run at the plate. Buxton scored just one batter later when Witt doubled himself. Roberts had seen enough and pulled Suarez for Edwin Diaz.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., the next batter for the AL, hit a hard ground ball down the first base line that Matt Olson made a great play on for the second out. Witt advanced to third. Steven Kwan, in a two strike, two out count, beat out a weak chopper down the third-base line for an infield hit, scoring Witt to tie the game. The NL couldn’t score in the bottom of the ninth, so the game went to a “swing-off”, which the National League won, 4-3, on the strength of All-Star MVP Kyle Schwarber’s three home runs.

It was a fun All-Star Game that featured a lot of early NL offense, a lot of late AL offense, and a memorable first swing-off. Plus, Megill and Misiorowski emerged unscathed.