On This Date in Sports July 16, 1985: All-Stars at the Metrodome
in collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The All-Stars come to the Twin Cities, for the first time in 20 years as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome hosts 56th mid-summer classic. The National League continues their dominance of the American League, winning 6-1 as LaMarr Hoyt of the San Diego Padres is named MVP. Since 1960 the National League had won 25 of 28 completed All-Star contests, with one tie due to rain.
The All-Star Game goes indoors for the third time, as the Metrodome in Minnesota is the stage for the best players in the game. Sparky Anderson of the Detroit Tigers is the manager for the American League while Dick Williams of the San Diego Padres is leading the National League. Both managers chose one of their starters to take the mound as Jack Morris of the Tigers starts for the AL, while LaMarr Hoyt of the Padres starts for the NL.
The American League got off to a good start as Jack Morris set down the National League in order in the first inning. In the bottom of the first Rickey Henderson of the New York Yankees led off with a single and stole second, advancing to third on an errant throw by Terry Kennedy of the Padres. Henderson would come into score on a sac-fly by George Brett of the Kansas City Royals. Kennedy would atone for the error by singling in Darryl Strawberry of the New York Mets in the second. Strawberry singled and stole second ahead of the RBI by the Padres catcher.
In the third inning, the National League took the lead as Tommy Herr of the St. Louis Cardinals sparked a two-out rally with a double, later scoring on a single by Steve Garvey of the Padres. LaMarr Hoyt completed three innings allowing an unearned run on two hits. Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros took over for Hoyt and pitched three scoreless innings. Meanwhile, the National League added to their lead in the fifth inning as Strawberry, and Tim Wallach of the Montreal Expos scored on a single by Ozzie Virgil Jr. of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers set down the American League in the seventh while Jeff Reardon of the Expos handled the eighth, keeping the NL in front by a score of 4-1. The American League meanwhile got hitless relief from Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays and Donnie Moore of the California Angels.
In the ninth inning when the National League still leading 4-1, Dan Petry of the Tigers found trouble by walking Ryne Sandberg of the Cubs and Tim Raines of the Expos to the start the inning. After striking out, Tony Pena of the Pittsburgh Pirates Petry walked Jack Clark of the Cardinals to load the bases. Willie Hernandez of the Tigers came into the game to relieve Petry and gave up a ground-rule double to Willie McGee of the Cardinals to extend the lead to 6-1. Goose Gossage of the Padres came on in the ninth and retired the AL in order to end the game, with Rich Gedman of the Boston Red Sox striking out to end the game.