PHILADELPHIA — White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami was asked to mimic the sound of a home run coming off his bat.
Without hesitation — and without waiting for an English-to-Japanese translation — he said simply: ‘‘Bang!’’
Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas provided a big bang for the American League in the eighth
inning of its 4-0 victory Tuesday against the National League in the All-Star Game with a homer to left against Dodgers hurler Justin Wrobleski. All three Sox All-Stars — Vargas, Murakami and outfielder Tristan Peters — were in the game at that point at Citizens Bank Park.
‘‘It was a great moment,’’ Vargas said afterward. ‘‘A low slider. I’m very happy. Something to remember.’’
He was the third Sox player to hit a homer in an All-Star Game, joining Frank Thomas (1995) and Magglio Ordonez (2001).
Murakami had the bad fortune of facing Padres all-world closer Mason Miller in his only at-bat to lead off the ninth. Miller did what he does and whiffed him on four pitches, two of them swinging strikes. Murakami was the only batter Miller faced.
It was the first time Murakami had gone up against Miller, even though the Sox played the Padres earlier this season in San Diego.
Asked about Miller’s stuff, Murakami said, ‘‘Nasty.’’
Told that Miller is like that against everybody, Murakami added, ‘‘I know.’’
The AL broke open the game early against NL starter Cristopher Sanchez.
Sanchez, a Phillies left-hander, walked the bases loaded with two outs and allowed three runs on two singles by the Yankees’ Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice. Bellinger was named the MVP of the game on the strength of his two-run single.
The AL turned the ball over to former Sox right-hander Dylan Cease with a 3-0 lead. Cease, who pitched for the Sox from 2019 to 2023 before joining the Padres and now the Blue Jays, struck out the side around a two-out walk to Freddie Freeman and was credited with the victory.
It wasn’t exactly a Murderers’ Row, but Cease whiffed Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto and CJ Abrams in his one inning. It wasn’t a good first inning for the Philly faithful.
Cease was going for strikeouts, he said.
‘‘I always want to strike guys out,’’ he said. ‘‘I really just wanted to throw strikes and not walk guys. Before the game, I was pondering starting with a changeup. I thought it would be funny, but [Tigers right-hander Justin] Verlander talked me out of it.’’
Cease also said he remembered his time with the Sox well.
‘‘A lot of growth and development and struggles early,’’ he said. ‘‘Making some adjustments. Living in Chicago was great. I loved Chicago. If I thought about it long enough, I could come up with a lot of memories, but it was just a great way to start off my career.’’
Vargas was the first of the Sox’ trio in the game when he pinch-ran for the Rays’ Junior Caminero, who was hit by a pitch, in the third. He stayed in the game and played the rest of the way.
The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong entered the game late to play center-field and had a single in the eighth in his one at-bat.
Peters replaced Bellinger in right field and struck out looking to end the eighth. He challenged the pitch thrown by Wrobleski, but the call was confirmed.
‘‘That was tough,’’ Peters said on camera.
In the AL clubhouse beforehand, all the Sox waxed eloquent about being in the game.
‘‘This has been incredible,’’’ Peters said. ‘‘It’s so cool to have this opportunity. This is all surreal. Having three of us in the All-Star Game is really incredible.’’
Said Murakami: ‘‘‘It’s been a fun ride. When I arrived and got on the bus, it was full of star players, high-caliber players. That’s when it hit me that I was here.’’
‘‘‘I’m here and I’m very excited,’’ Vargas said. ‘‘It’s like a dream to be around all these guys. Watching Dylan Cease pitch. Playing alongside Mike Trout. It’s unbelievable. I’m happy just to be here. One day, I’ll remember that I was here.’’
Over in the NL clubhouse, Crow-Armstrong was floating on air with anticipation of the festivities.
He was asked whether it had sunk in.
‘‘Maybe I thought it would’ve after last year and getting to do it for the first time,’’ he said. ‘‘But, no, not really. I would say what’s different is I know some of these guys a little bit now, and I think that takes some of the nervousness away.’’
An at-bat by Murakami was much anticipated when he came into the game to play first base in the eighth. He had 20 homers and 42 RBI to offset 87 strikeouts in 60 games before missing 35 games with a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring.
Murakami was a late addition to the Home Run Derby on Monday and to the AL All-Star team Tuesday.
In the Derby, he hit nine homers on 20 swings and was eliminated in the first round. The Cardinals’ Jordan Walker eventually won the event, hitting his last six pitches out to edge Schwarber. Still, Murakami said he had a good time.
‘‘I enjoyed it,’’ he said.
Those were his nine ‘‘bangs’’ Monday. But all he got against Miller was a lot of air, which was predictable.