Never in history had an All Star Game gone beyond five innings without a run. This year no one would score until the thirteenth. If the last three games represented good pitching, then the 1987 Midsummer Classic Game represented great pitching. The Midsummer Classic Game was attended by over forty-nine thousand fans at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, California, on July 14 1987. The Virgil singled to center. Lee Smith struck out trying to bunt and Hubie Brooks singled Virgil to second. Willie McGee flied out and Tim Raines drilled his third hit of the game, a two-run triple to left-center. The American League dominant pitchers were Bret Saberhagen, Jack Morris, Mark Langston, Dan Plesac, Dave Righetti and Tom Henke. The National League dominant pitchers were Mike Scott, Rick Sutcliffe, Orel Hershiser, Rick Reuschel, John Franco, Steve Bedrosian, Lee Smith and Sid Fernandez. Tim Raines’ triple to left-center in the 13th inning scored Ozzie Virgil and Hubie Brooks for a 2-0 National League victory.

Tim Raines win the Most Valuable Player Award, his triple in the thirteenth inning drove in the 1987 All-Star Games only runs. In the ninth inning an exciting play occurred when Dave Winfield broke for home from second base on a blown double play, but pitcher Steve Bedrosian threw him out at the plate. Learn Smith entered during the tenth inning and threw three shutout innings, including a situation where Larry Parrish reached third base with two outs and Smith had to strike out Tony Fernandez to earn the National League win. The so called “power hitters” from both leagues were being shut down repeatedly and the fans were beginning to set disappointment in their weak performances at the plate. Many missed the excitement of sluggers. The pitchers on the other hand, were not complaining. This was the twenty-second win for the National League over the course of the last twenty-five games and the eighth extra-inning victory for the senior circuit [who was undefeated in extra-inning All-Star Games].