Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Randy Jones made his All-Star Game debut in the 1975 Midsummer Classic and pitched an important inning in the National League's fourth straight win and 12th in 13 seasons.
After the National League snapped a 3-3 tie with three runs in the top of the ninth on July 15 at Milwaukee County Stadium, Jones retired the American League in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn the save.
Jones, the first Padres pitcher to ever appear in an All-Star game, opened the ninth by retiring pinch-hitter Hal McRae of Kansas City on a grounder back to the mound. Jones then struck out first baseman George Scott of the host Brewers before getting Minnesota second baseman Rod Carew on a fly ball to end the game.
The National League took a 2-0 lead in the second when two Los Angeles Dodgers -- first baseman Steve Garvey and center fielder Jimmy Wynn -- opened the inning with back-to-back home runs off American League starter Vida Blue of the Oakland A's.
The National League stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third when Cardinals left fielder Lou Brock opened the inning with a single, moved to second on a balk by Kansas City's Steve Busby, stole third and scored on a single by Cincinnati catcher Johnny Bench.
But the American League tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth on a three-run, pinch-hit homer by Boston's Carl Yastrzemski off Tom Seaver of the New York Mets.
Oakland left fielder Joe Rudi opened the inning with a single. Pinch-runner George Hendrick then stole second ahead of a one-out walk drawn by Oakland's Gene Tenace. Yastrzemski then powered a two-out homer to right-center. But the National League got to Catfish Hunter of Oakland and Chicago White Sox reliever Goose Gossage for three runs in the top of the ninth.
Cardinals' outfielder Reggie Smith opened the inning with a single off Hunter and moved to third on a double by pinch-hitter Al Oliver of the Pirates.
Gossage replaced Hunter and immediately hit Phillies shortstop Larry Bowa with a pitch to load the bases with no one out.
Chicago Cubs third baseman Bill Madlock followed with a two-run single to left to break the tie. Bowa scored the inning's third run on a sacrifice fly from Cincinnati outfielder Pete Rose.
Madlock's tie-breaking hit gained him co-Most Valuable Player honors in the game with New York Mets pitcher Jon Matlack, who had four strikeouts while allowing two hits in the scoreless eighth and ninth to pick up the win. It marked the first time that the All-Star Game produced co-MVPs.
Jerry Reuss of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Don Sutton of the Dodgers opened the game with five scoreless innings for the National League. Starter Reuss allowed three hits with two strikeouts in the first three innings. Sutton allowed three hits in two innings with a strikeout. Jim Kaat of the Chicago White Sox worked two perfect innings for the American League.
Rose and Garvey each had two hits and an RBI for the National League. A's shortstop Bert Campaneris had two hits for the American League.
The win boosted the National League's margin in the series to 27-18-1.