The National League scored four runs in the first inning, cruising to a 7-5 win over the American League in the All-Star Game Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium in New York.

It didn’t take long for the NL to jump on top, as Joe Morgan led off with a home run against AL starter Jim Palmer. With one out, Dave Parker singled and George Foster doubled for a 2-0 lead. Greg Luzinski followed with a homer and the NL had a 4-0 lead. Palmer did manage to strike out the next two hitters to end the inning, and pitched a scoreless second inning. But Steve Garvey led off the third with a home run, and that ended Palmer’s evening.

The game remained 5-0 until the bottom of the sixth. Cincinnati pitcher Tom Seaver, who had been traded from the New York Mets to the Reds just over a month earlier, received long standing ovations before the game and when he took over on the mound for the sixth. But Rod Carew led off with a single. With two outs, Fred Lynn drew a walk and Richie Zisk doubled to score both runners.

The AL drew a little closer in the seventh as Butch Wynegar started the inning with a single. With one out, shortstop Garry Templeton booted a Graig Nettles grounder. With two outs, Willie Randolph singled, cutting the NL lead to 5-3.

But just after Randolph gave the home crowd something to cheer about, another Yankee player wasn’t as effective. Relief pitcher Sparky Lyle took over for the top of the seventh, only to  surrender two runs. Templeton started the inning with a double, and Lyle hit Jerry Morales with a pitch. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base, and Dave Winfield singled to score both runs. 

That essentially sealed the game for the NL. The AL came up with two runs in the bottom of the ninth against reliever Rich Gossage, as Bert Campaneris led off with a walk and George Scott hit a one-out home run. But Gossage retired Randolph on a grounder and struck out Thurman Munson to end the game.

The win was the sixth in a row for the NL in the series, and 14th in the last 15 All-Star Games. MVP honors went to NL starting pitcher Don Sutton of the Dodgers, who pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out four.

The Royals’ lone representative, third baseman George Brett, started the game and went 0-2 with a walk.

Box score and play-by-play:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1977-allstar-game.shtml

Today’s birthdays: Billy Gardner (1927), Rick Ankiel (1979), Jimmy Gobble (1981)