American League Makes it Two In A Row

AL All Stars 3  NL All Stars 2, Astrodome - Houston, TX

Tony Oliva homers in the 6th to help AL
to a 3-2 win over the NL in the 1968
All-Star Game.

After a 9-4 whooping of the National League in 1967 the American League All Stars took the field looking to make it two in a row.  Behind the lumber of powerhouse hitters featuring Frank Howard, Reggie Jackson, Carl Yaztrazemski and Tony Oliva the AL All-Stars pounded out 9 hits en route to a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning.  Tony Oliva belted a 342 foot bomb off of NL's Tom Abernathy in the 6th inning to get the ball rolling for the American League.  But the NL would not give up easily.  A lead off single by Tom Haller followed by a Curt Flood single would put the NL All-Stars in a situation to make things tight in the bottom of the ninth.  SS Gene Alley would then single between third and short to load the bases for Tommy Helms with no outs.  Helms would respond with a  laser up the middle, driving in two runs, but Gene Alley would be thrown out at third trying to leg out an extra base.  However, things still looked good for the NL as Willie Mays and Willie Stargell both would have chances to tie things up with only 1 out.  Mays would take one deep off a Dean Chance fastball but not deep enough as AL CF Reggie Smith would glove it at the wall.  Dave McNally would then take the mound to face down Willie Stargell and the NL's final chance.  McNally would win the battle getting Stargell to ground out to 2nd and clinching the AL's 2nd straight win in as many years.