This Date In Royals History--1985 Edition: July 16

The NL cruises to a victory in the All-Star Game.

The National League trounced the American League 6-1 in the 56th All-Star Game, at the Metrodome in Minneapolis on Tuesday night.

San Diego pitcher LaMarr Hoyt picked up game MVP honors and the win by pitching three innings and allowing two hits. The AL could only manage five hits on the night, all singles.

The lone Royal in the game, third baseman George Brett, drove in the only AL run. In the first inning, New York’s Rickey Henderson led off with a single, then stole second with one out and took third on San Diego catcher Terry Kennedy’s throwing error. Brett’s fly ball to left scored Henderson. Brett would also ground out and draw a walk in the game.

But the NL responded, scoring single runs in the second and third innings and two more in the fifth. Facing Detroit’s Jack Morris, New York right fielder Darryl Strawberry singled with one out in the second, then stole second and scored on a two-out single from Kennedy.

In the third, Morris retired the first two batters but St. Louis second baseman Tom Herr doubled and scored on a single by San Diego’s Steve Garvey.

The NL increased their lead in the fifth. Cleveland pitcher Bert Blyleven, following a scoreless fourth inning, got the first two batters out but hit Strawberry with a pitch. Montreal’s Tim Wallach hit a ground-rule double. Philadelphia’s Ozzie Virgil singled, driving in both runners for a 4-1 lead, although Virgil was thrown out trying to reach second.

The Senior Circuit put the game away with two runs in the ninth off a pair of Detroit pitchers. Dan Petry started the inning by walking Chicago’s Ryne Sandberg and Montreal’s Tim Raines. With one out, Petry walked St. Louis slugger Jack Clark to load the bases. AL manager Sparky Anderson summoned his relief ace, Willie Hernandez, to escape the jam, but St. Louis’ Willie McGee roped a ground-rule double to score two more runs and make the score 6-1. Hernandez was able to strike out two of the next three hitters, but the damage was done.

The win gave the NL a 36-19-1 edge in All-Star Games.

In a fun footnote, Detroit second baseman Lou Whitaker managed to leave his uniform at home, and was unable to get one shipped to Minnesota in time, so he played the game wearing a jersey bought at a Metrodome souvenir stand. Whitaker used a marker to draw his number one on the back of the jersey. He also bought a Tigers hat, but was able to borrow pants and socks from the Twins clubhouse. Cal Ripken Jr. lent Whitaker a glove for the game.

Box score and play-by-play:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS198507160.shtml

Today’s birthdays: Terry Pendleton (1960), Jorge Vasquez (1978)