Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Pitchers dominated the 1987 All-Star Game.
In fact, they made history.
Neither team scored until the National League pushed across two runs in the top of the 13th to defeat the American League on July 14 at Oakland-Alameda County Stadium.
It was the first time in All-Star Game history that a game went scoreless beyond five innings. This game also marked the end of an era, although no one knew it at the time.
The win was the National League's third in four years, 14th in 16 years and 22nd in 25 years. The National League led the series, 37-20-1. But they wouldn't win again for six years, as the pendulum was about to swing back to the American League.
The National League's winning rally in the 13th came against Jay Howell of the Oakland A's, who was working his second inning. The decisive blow was a two-run, two-out triple by left fielder Tim Raines of the Montreal Expos, who was 3-for-3 after entering the game in the sixth and was named the Most Valuable Player.
Atlanta catcher Ozzie Virgil opened the 13th with a single to left-center and moved to second on a one-out single to right by Montreal shortstop Hubie Brooks. After Howell retired Cardinals center fielder Willie McGee on a line drive to left, Raines tripled to drive in Virgil and Brooks.
New York Mets left-hander Sid Fernandez picked up the save with a scoreless 13th to complete the record-setting shutout. He was the eighth pitcher employed by the National League. Mike Scott of the Houston Astros started for the National League and allowed a hit in two innings with two strikeouts. Rick Sutcliffe of the Chicago Cubs followed and allowed a hit and a walk in two innings. Orel Hershiser duplicated Sutcliffe's outing.
Then it was onto Rick Reuschel of Pittsburgh, who allowed a hit with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings before turning it over to reliever John Franco of Cincinnati for the final two outs in the eighth. The American League threatened against Phillies reliever Steve Bedrosian in the bottom of the ninth.
Dave Winfield of the Yankees drew a walk to open the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Toronto shortstop Tony Fernandez. Bedrosian then walked Boston right fielder Dwight Evans to put runners on first and second with one out with Seattle second baseman Harold Reynolds at the plate. Reynolds hit a sharp grounder to Mets' first baseman Keith Hernandez, who threw to Brooks for a force out of Evans at second. But Brooks' relay to first, where Bedrosian was covering the bag, was wild. Seeing the throw, Winfield rounded third and headed for the plate. Bedrosian recovered and threw a strike to Virgil who tagged out Winfield to preserve the shutout.
Lee Smith followed Bedrosian and allowed two hits with four strikeouts in three innings to keep things scoreless. Right-hander Bret Saberhagen of the Kansas City Royals started the game for the American League and allowed a hit over three scoreless innings. Jack Morris of the Tigers followed and allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in as many innings. Mark Langston of the Mariners then struck out three in two perfect innings. Dan Plesac of the Brewers worked a perfect eighth with a strikeout.
After Raines singled and stole second with one out in the ninth, the Yankees' Dave Righetti gave way to Toronto's Tom Henke who got out of the jam and worked 2 2/3 innings before giving way to Howell.
Raines was the only player with three hits. Evans also reached base three times for the American League with two hits and a walk in three plate appearances.
Tony Gwynn was 0-for-1 as a pinch-hitter as the lone Padre in the game.