Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran didn’t leave his first MLB All-Star Game empty-handed.
The 27-year-old hit a game-deciding two-run home run in the fifth inning of the American League’s 5-3 triumph over the National League at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. That was enough for Duran to walk away with Ted Williams MVP honors of the 94 annual Midsummer Classic.
Duran became the first member of the Red Sox to earn the recognition since J.D. Drew did so in 2008, and just the fifth player in franchise history to capture the hardware along with Drew, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Carl Yastrzemski, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
“Honestly, I can’t really put it into words right now. I’m kind of overwhelmed with emotions,” Duran said after receiving the award on the FOX broadcast. “I’m just very thankful to be here and to represent the Red Sox is a big honor.”
Duran entered the game in the top of the fifth inning for New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and made an immediate impact in the bottom of the frame. Duran crushed a two-out blast 413 feet to right field off Cincinnati Reds flamethrower Hunter Greene to give the American League the lead — it capped a string of five consecutive runs for that side. According to Baseball Reference, Duran became the youngest Red Sox player since Fred Lynn in 1979 to hit a homer in an All-Star Game.
Duran grounded out in his only other at-bat of the game in the eighth inning, but had already done his part by then.
Thanks to Duran, the AL has now won 10 out of the last 11 All-Star Games.
