ARLINGTON — Tuesday night, Jarren Duran became the first ever Walla Walla Sweet alumni to be selected and play in the MLB All-Star game. However, the firsts do not end there. In his first at bat in the Midsummer Classic, Duran went deep to right field, launching a homer 413 feet to bring home two runs and give the American League a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

The AL hung onto that lead making Duran’s blast the game winning swing. For the performance, Duran was named the All-Star MVP. Along with being the Sweets’ first All-Star, he is also the Sweets’ first All-Star MVP.

Duran is the second West Coast League Alumni to win the award, after Shane Bieber won in in 2019 with the then Cleveland Indians. Bieber played for the Cowlitz Black Bears in 2014.

The award is the cherry on top to an already great season for Duran with the Boston Red Sox. Through the first 95 games of the season leading into the break, Duran leads the team with 113 hits, 27 doubles, and 10 triples. Duran also leads the American League in doubles and triples.

Duran played for the Sweets in 2016, collecting 42 hits in 42 games. Duran led his team and league in triples that year as well with five.

The WCL is in the middle of their All-Star break as well. It is the first time in five years the WCL is having an All-Star game, which is set for Wednesday, July 17, at 6:35 Pacific Time. The Sweets will have three representatives in Bellingham: Davis Mauzy, Kolby Felix, and Liam Hohenstein.

After the break, the Sweets return to action against the only other team with an MLB All-Star MVP alumni. Walla Walla travels out to Cowlitz Friday for their first three-game set with the Black Bears. Sweets’ coverage can be found on Mixlr.com.