Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 11, 1990 TAG: 9007110260
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHICAGO LENGTH: Medium
The National League was held to a record-low two hits, and Julio Franco followed a 68-minute rain delay with a two-run double in the seventh inning to give the American League a 2-0 victory, its third straight and fourth in five years.
Never before had an All-Star team been held to fewer than three hits. But Bob Welch, Dave Stieb, Bret Saberhagen, Bobby Thigpen, Chuck Finley and Dennis Eckersley combined to do it, giving the Americans their longest winning streak since 1946-49. It was the AL's first shutout since 1946.
The good pitching was helped by bad weather. Intermittent showers delayed the start of the game for 17 minutes, and a 16-mph wind blowing in from center field knocked down virtually every fly ball. Franco's double off Rob Dibble came three pitches after play had resumed in the seventh.
For at least one game, Wrigley Field, known as a hitters' haven, was a pitchers' paradise. And once again, after a pleasant afternoon in Chicago, playing at night turned out to be a bad idea.
The first night game ever scheduled for Wrigley Field was rained out in 1988, and some traditionalists said it was revenge for putting in lights and tampering with the old ballpark. The first night game this season also was washed away.
Rain won't be a problem at the 1991 All-Star Game, which will be played in Toronto's SkyDome.
The AL, the league of no-hitters this year, also turned out to have the best hitters. Five of the six no-hitters in the majors have been in the American, although the only pitcher on the AL roster with one - Seattle's Randy Johnson - did not pitch.
Will Clark's line-drive single to center field with two out in the first and Len Dykstra's leadoff single in the ninth were all the NL could muster. The hosts had only two other runners, on walks to pinch hitter Tony Gwynn in the third and Barry Bonds in the eighth, a span of 16 batters.
The Americans were held to seven hits by a record nine pitchers, and it was enough.
Jeff Brantley, who retired Cecil Fielder on a fly ball with the bases loaded to end the sixth, gave up singles to Sandy Alomar, who slid into first base to beat shortstop Shawon Dunston's long throw, and Lance Parrish to start the seventh.
With the rain coming down harder, the umpires stopped the game. When it resumed, Dibble relieved Brantley and Franco hit an 0-2 pitch into right-center.
Franco later was thrown out at the plate by right fielder Darryl Strawberry while trying to score on Canseco's fly ball. In the eighth, Franco flied to Strawberry with the bases loaded to end the inning, but he already had done the damage.
Hometown star Andre Dawson, who celebrated his 36th birthday by agreeing to a $3.7 million contract earlier in the day, had little to show for his night. The Cubs outfielder hit a weak grounder and struck out, making him 4-for-19 in seven All-Star appearances.
In the third inning, the AL's Steve Sax drew a leadoff walk from Ramon Martinez and stole second after a pitchout. With two out, Craig ordered an intentional walk - the first in All-Star play since 1985 - to Wade Boggs and the strategy worked when Canseco grounded into a routine force play.
"I think it was a good move," said Jack Armstrong, the NL's starting pitcher. "Roger said he was going to manage like it's the seventh game of the World Series."
Another intentional walk helped the NL escape a bigger jam in the sixth. Boggs singled with one out off Dave Smith and Canseco walked on an odd play - a balk was called on a 3-1 pitch that was a ball, and the Americans, given the option, elected to take the walk instead of the balk.
Kelly Gruber, running for Boggs, and Canseco executed a double steal as George Bell struck out, and Craig had Ken Griffey Jr. walked to load the bases.
Fielder, leading the majors with 28 home runs and 75 RBI, batted for Mark McGwire, and Craig brought in his own reliever, Brantley. Before the tension could build, it was over as Fielder hit a lazy fly to center.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB