Kyle Schwarber leads NL to victory in first All-Star Game swing-off

Kyle Schwarber delivered a stellar performance in MLB’s new All-Star Game format — leading the National League to a 4-3 victory in the competition’s first-ever swing-off.

The main game ended in a 6-6 tie after the American League managed to erase a six-run deficit. The new format, similar to soccer’s penalty shootout, required three batters from each league to take three swings.

Schwarber recorded a perfect streak with three home runs from three attempts in the swing-off, despite only managing one walk with no hits during regular play. His decisive performance earned him the All-Star Game MVP honors.

The swing-off format was implemented about three years ago to address the issue of teams running out of pitchers during All-Star games.