Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The National League jumped on Baltimore ace Jim Palmer for three home runs and five runs in two plus innings on July 19, 1977, en route to a sixth straight All-Star Game win and a 14th in a 15-year span.
The American League rallied late but fell 7-5 before 56,683 in the first All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium since 1939.
Although National League hitters clubbed three home runs off Palmer, the Most Valuable Player was National League starter Don Sutton. The Dodgers right-hander Don Sutton allowed a hit and a walk with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
The National League wasted no time in getting to Palmer.
Cincinnati second baseman Joe Morgan opened the game with a home run. With one out, Pirates right fielder Dave Parker singled and scored on a double to left-center by Reds center fielder George Foster. Left fielder Greg Luzinski of the Philadelphia Phillies then hit a two-run homer to right.
Palmer pitched a scoreless second but gave up a home run to Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey leading off the third to make it 5-0. Jim Kern of the Cleveland Indians took over for Palmer and finished the third.
Dennis Eckersley of the Cleveland Indians followed Kern with two perfect innings while Dave LaRoche of the California Angels and Bill Campbell of the Boston Red Sox held the National League scoreless in the sixth and seventh, respectively, while the American League was cutting the deficit to 5-3.
But the Padres Dave Winfield put the game out of reach in the top of the eighth. Winfield, who entered the game as a replacement for Luzinski in left field in the bottom of the fourth, hit a two-run single off Yankees' reliever Sparky Lyle to make it 7-3.
St. Louis shortstop Garry Templeton opened the eighth with a double off Lyle, who then hit Cubs center fielder Jerry Morales with a pitch. With Winfield at the plate and no one out, both runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Winfield's second hit in as many at-bats - a single to left.
The American League rallied, but was never able to catch up to the dominating National League.
After Gary Lavelle of the San Francisco Giants followed Sutton with two scoreless innings, the American League scored three runs (two earned) in two innings against Tom Seaver of the New York Mets.
Minnesota first baseman Rod Carew opened the bottom of the sixth with a single. Boston center fielder Fred Lynn drew a two-out walk. Chicago White Sox left fielder Richie Zisk followed with a two-run double to cut the deficit to 5-2.
In the seventh, Minnesota catcher Butch Wynegar singled off Seaver to open the inning, advanced when Templeton fumbled Graig Nettles potential, inning-ending, double-play grounder for an error. Yankees second baseman Willie Randolph drove Wynegar home with a single.
The American League scored the game's final two runs in the bottom of the ninth against Goose Gossage of the Pirates. A's shortstop Bert Campaneris drew a lead-off walk and scored on a two-run homer by Red Sox first baseman George Scott.
Winfield was the lone National League player with two hits. Zisk had two of the American League's eight hits.