Jarren Duran, a first-time All-Star from the Boston Red Sox, was the big hero in this year’s midsummer classic.
American League outfielder Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox (16) tosses his bat after he hits a two run home run during the fifth inning against the National League in the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field
For the second time in two All-Star Games hosted by the Texas Rangers, the American League hit a home run.
This time, it meant something.
Boston outfielder Jarren Duran’s fifth-inning two-run homer broke a 3-3 tie and pushed the American League to a two-run lead an a 5-3 victory over the National League at Globe Life Field on Tuesday night.
It was the 94th All-Star Game, but only the second hosted in Arlington, with the first across the street at what was The Ballpark in Arlington in 1995. That night, the National League won, 3-2. But Chicago White Sox slugger — and future Baseball Hall of Famer — Frank Thomas hit a two-run home run to give the AL an early 2-0 lead.
The NL had three hits in that game but they were all solo home runs and that eventually lifted the NL to victory.
Duran was making his first All-Star Game appearance and made his first plate appearance after going into the game for New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge in the fifth. He faced Cincinnati pitcher Hunter Greene, who nearly allowed a home run to Texas shortstop Corey Seager earlier in the inning.
With two outs and Baltimore outfielder Anthony Santander on first base, the left-handed hitting Duran pulled an 86-mph splitter into the right-field seats to give the AL a two-run lead.
That was enough to keep the AL in the driver’s seat for the rest of the contest.
The All-Star Game included 39 first-time participants, including Pittsburgh starting pitcher Paul Skenes, a rookie who was the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft. He became the sixth-youngest pitcher to ever start in an All-Star Game and retired the AL in his one inning by getting Judge to ground out on the first pitch.
Skenes also became the first rookie to start an All-Star Game since the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo did in in 1995 at The Ballpark in Arlington (now Choctaw Stadium).
The game’s other runs were scored in the third inning, with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani giving the NL a 3-0 lead.
His three-run home run off Boston’s Tanner Houck was the first of his All-Star Game career and the first for a Dodgers All-Star since Mike Piazza in 1996.
It also reinforced Ohtani’s comfort in Globe Life Field, where he played as a visitor for multiple series per year with the Los Angeles Angels before joining the Dodgers last offseason. At GLF he slashed .293/.358/.577/.935 with eight home runs and 20 RBI.
Among parks Ohtani hasn’t called home, GLF is tied for his most in any park in the regular season, with Houston’s Minute Maid Park and Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field, the home of the White Sox.
Texas Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien sparked the AL rally with a leadoff single in the third. New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto's two-run double scored Semien and Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, who walked after Semien. Cleveland’s David Fry pinch-hit for Houston’s Yordan Alvarez and singled home Soto to tie the game.
