by Cary Osborne
One All-Star Game swing and Shohei Ohtani created Dodger history.
Ohtani, in what has been a remarkable first season as a Dodger, hit a three-run home run in the third inning of the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday.
Those three RBI represent a new record for the most RBI in an All-Star Game by a Dodger. It was also the first home run hit by a Dodger in an All-Star Game since Mike Piazza in 1996.
Piazza was the All-Star Game MVP that season in Philadelphia.
Ohtani was looking like the MVP in Arlington after giving the National League an early 3–0 lead.
It didn’t hold in the American League’s 5–3 victory. Boston’s Jarren Duran, who hit the go-ahead two-run homer for the AL in the fifth inning was named the All-Star Game MVP.
https://medium.com/media/13582120e29fd7fede5a19859d635491/href
Ohtani reached base twice in three plate appearances, including a walk in the first inning. He struck out in the fifth inning on a slider that followed a 102-mph fastball from Oakland closer Mason Miller.
Ohtani is the eighth Dodger to record multiple RBI in an All-Star Game.
Ohtani’s was the 12th homer hit by a Dodger in an All-Star Game.
The others:
· Mike Piazza (1996, 1995)
· Steve Garvey (1975, 1977)
· Jim Wynn (1975)
· Willie Davis (1973)
· John Roseboro (1962)
· Jim Gilliam (1959)
· Jackie Robinson (1952)
· Gil Hodges (1951)
· Mickey Owen (1942)
Ohtani was 1-for-4 with a single in six career All-Star plate appearances coming into the 2024 All-Star Game. The single was off Clayton Kershaw in the 2022 All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani started the 2021 All-Star Game as a pitcher and received the win in the American League’s 5–2 victory.
He is now the only player in All-Star Game history with a pitching win and a home run in his career.
Teoscar Hernández, one night after winning the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, started for the NL in center field and went 0-for-2 with a flyout and a strikeout.
Will Smith earned an infield single in the sixth inning and grounded out in the eighth. Freddie Freeman grounded into a double play in the sixth.
https://medium.com/media/f997a31409ae0e2d24c02e964f4df001/hrefhttps://medium.com/media/182901882fe0bee6fb07a1881f91f3da/href
Shohei Ohtani makes his mark on MLB’s showcase game was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.