Baseball: Ohtani gets 3rd straight two-way All-Star nod, hits 31st HR

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani was selected to pitch and bat at the All-Star game for the third straight year Sunday and celebrated by crushing his MLB lead-extending 31st home run in his team’s 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ohtani finished fifth among 13 American League pitchers selected by fellow MLB players for the All-Star game in Seattle on July 11. He had already earned his starting spot as a designated hitter after receiving the most fan votes among AL position players announced on June 22.

He has been selected both as a DH and pitcher for the past two years, playing the...