Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran stepped into the batter’s box in the fifth inning for his first at-bat in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game with a plan.
And he executed it perfectly.
Duran first looked at a 95 mph fastball from Cincinnati Reds flamethrower Hunter Greene before launching the second pitch he saw 413 feet to right-center field for a game-defining two-run home run. The round-tripper from Duran, who was named the game’s Ted Williams MVP, broke a 3-3 deadlock and it proved to be the last runs of the marquee exhibition contest with the American League holding on for a 5-3 win at Globe Life Field.
“I know he throws really hard, so I was like, ‘All right, I hope he’s throwing me a fastball first pitch so I can see how hard it is,'” Duran told FOX Sports’ Kevin Burkhardt on the field. “And then he gave me a good pitch to put a good swing on it.”
Duran, who was making his first All-Star Game appearance, flipped his bat in celebration as he made sure to admire his work, something he admitted was out of character for himself.
“That was probably the first pitch I’ve ever pimped in my life and I was just trying to soak it all in,” Duran said. “It was a surreal moment.”
Duran finished the contest 1-for-2 as he grounded out to second base in his only other at-bat. The 27-year-old became the first member of the Red Sox to take home MVP honors since 2008 and just the fifth player in franchise history — joining J.D. Drew, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Carl Yastrzemski — to earn the recognition.
Duran entered the All-Star break batting .284 with 10 home runs, 41 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He also leads MLB with 10 triples and is tops in the AL with 27 doubles.
It’s already been a special season for Duran and perhaps this big moment in the Midsummer Classic will catapult him to an even more memorable second half of the season.
