As expected, a right-handed pitcher from Pittsburgh dominated the All-Star Game with his power pitching.
Move over, Pirates rookie Paul Skenes.
Make room for Bethel Park native Mason Miller.
The 25-year-old Oakland A’s closer topped triple digits on eight of his 12 pitches and struck out Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner in an impressive fifth inning on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Miller, who has 15 saves and is averaging 15.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 33 appearances this season, started by throwing a first-pitch fastball clocked at 101 mph to Arizona’s Ketel Marte for a fly ball to left for the first out.
Miller then challenged Ohtani, hit a three-run home run off Boston’s Tanner Houck in the third inning, by firing a 100.6-mph fastball for a called strike. Ohtani drew a ball on a slider, then another called strike on a 101.8 fastball before whiffing on an 89.2-mph slider low and inside.
“I wasn’t giving him one up, that’s for sure,” Miller told Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports in an in-game interview. “I think I got the second strike, then I got one that might’ve been down a little bit but I got to the back-foot slider.”
Miller brought more heat against Turner, touching triple digits five times and topping out with a 103.6-mph fastball on his first pitch. Turner worked a full count, with a swing and miss on a 102.3-mph fastball before taking a 103-mph fastball for a ball and fouling off one that came in at 102.4 mph before Miller froze him for a called third strike with a slider.
“It’s hard to not enjoy that, with this crowd and these players here.,” Miller said. “It’s what you dream of.”
