How Kyle Schwarber’s Epic 3-Homer Performance in the All-Star Game Tiebreaker Led the NL to Victory!

ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber felt the pressure. He had played in the World Series and even hit a homer for his country. But walking up for the All-Star Game swing-off? That was new territory.

“This is like baseball’s version of a shootout,” Schwarber said after hitting three homers in a row, tipping the final swing as he knelt down. The National League clinched a 4-3 victory after a dramatic tie of 6-6, despite a shaky seventh inning where they lost a big lead.

Schwarber snagged the MVP award, despite going 0 for 2 with a walk — a first for a non-pitcher in All-Star history. “It’ll be interesting to see where this goes,” said AL manager Aaron Boone. He suggested that a swing-off could be a regular feature in future games.

The swing-off rule was introduced in 2022 due to concerns about running out of pitchers when All-Star players rarely throw more than an inning. Teams chose three batters each to take three swings against their coaches, mimicking a soccer-style penalty shootout.

For the AL, Boone picked Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena, and Jonathan Aranda. On the NL side, Dave Roberts chose Eugenio Suárez, Schwarber, and Pete Alonso—though Suárez had to step out due to an injury. Players cheered on their teammates from the dugouts, building excitement with each home run.

Rooker got the AL on the board with two homers, and Schwarber answered back decisively. “I just wanted it in the middle,” he recalled when preparing for his swings. He smashed a 461-foot blast, celebrating as the ball sailed over the right-center bullpen.

By the end, after Schwarber’s impressive show, Aranda struggled to keep up. Alonso, a two-time Home Run Derby champ, congratulated Schwarber as the crowd erupted with fireworks.

MLB declared the game tied, noting it was resolved in a swing-off. Earlier, Ketel Marte had put the NL ahead with a two-run double, and Alonso added to the scoreboard with a three-run homer, but the AL charged back in a thrilling seventh inning that saw Rooker’s massive pinch-hit and multiple runs.

There were standout pitching performances worth noting. Paul Skenes, the first pitcher to start in his first two All-Star Games, delivered impressive heat, while rookie Jacob Misiorowski shocked fans by regularly hitting over 100 mph.

This year’s game also marked the debut of robot umpires, with four of five challenges being successful, showcasing technology’s growing influence in sports.

Teams returned to their classic jerseys this year, shifting away from the previous year’s less popular special uniforms. The AL leads the All-Star series 48-45, with two ties noted in history.

For a deeper dive on the impact of technology in baseball, check out the insights from MLB’s tech adaptations.

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