The 51st All-Star Game, held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, produced a familiar result as the National League squad picked up a 4-2 win over the American League. The win was the ninth in a row for the NL and 17th in the last 18 games.

However, the AL took the lead first. With two outs in the fifth, California’s Rod Carew singled off Los Angeles pitcher Bob Welch. Boston’s Fred Lynn followed with a home run for a 2-0 lead.

AL pitchers Steve Stone (Baltimore) and Tommy John (New York) had combined for four perfect innings, with Stone responsible for three of them. But Cincinnati outfielder Ken Griffey, leading off the fifth for the NL, ended that and the shutout with a solo home run with two outs. 

The NL seized the momentum with two more runs in the fifth. With one out and John still in the game, Cincinnati’s Ray Knight and Pittsburgh’s Phil Garner picked up back-to-back singles. George Hendrick of the Cardinals singled to tie the game. Chicago White Sox reliever Ed Farmer took over for John, but San Diego’s Dave Winfield hit a grounder that Yankees second baseman Willie Randolph couldn’t come up with. Garner scored on the error for a 3-2 lead.

The Nationals added an insurance run in the sixth thanks to Toronto pitcher Dave Stieb’s wildness. Griffey led off with a single but was forced out at second on his teammate Dave Concepcion’s grounder. Concepcion took second on a wild pitch, reached third on a passed ball charged to Kansas City’s Darrell Porter, and scored on another wild pitch.

Bruce Sutter of St. Louis worked the last two ininngs, allowing only a two-out walk in the ninth, to save the win for Dodgers pitcher Jerry Reuss. Griffey was named MVP despite not being selected as a starter. Kansas City’s other active representative, pitcher Larry Gura, didn’t appear in the game, while George Brett was forced to miss the game with his ankle injury.

Box score and play-by-play: https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1980-allstar-game.shtml

Today’s birthdays: Ken Sanders (1941), Terry Puhl (1956), Ernie Young (1969)