Bench Lifts West to 5-4 Win
Boston's Petrocelli MVP in Losing Effort
DETROIT (June 23) -- Johnny Bench delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth to put the West ahead for the first time and Ken Tatum saved the game, as the West Division won back-to-back All-Star Games for the first time since 1965-66. Boston's Rico Petrocelli won Player of the Game honors with three hits and 2 RBIs -- on a first inning single and a seventh inning single, the later of which gave the East a 3-1 lead. But the West clawed back, closing the gap with solo home runs by Dallas' Willie Crawford in the seventh and Pete Rose in the eighth. Carl Taylor then walked and Joe Torre doubled, setting up Bench's game-winning hit. Manhattan's Cecil Upshaw took the loss, allowing three hits and a walk and losing the lead before Detroit's Ramon Hernandez came in to put out the fire.

The starting pitchers both sparkled at times, but were a bit shaky. Los Angeles' Fritz Peterson struck out Mickey Mantle and Ray Fosse to start the game, but then conceded four straight singles to Orlando Cepeda, Reggie Jackson, Petrocelli, and Dick Allen. The fact he allowed just one run speaks more to the East's conservative baserunning than to his effectiveness. For his part, Detroit's Pedro Ramos, pitching in front of his home crowd, struck out Carl Taylor and Joe Torre in the first, but gave up a double to Crawford and an RBI single to Sal Bando in the second, knotting the game up 1-1.

The East took the lead in the fourth off Dallas' Reggie Cleveland, after Tug McGraw pitched a perfect third. Washington's Al Oliver walked, moved to second on Gene Alley single, to third on a Vada Pinson sacrifice fly, and scored on a wild pitch. The score held at 2-1 until the seventh, thanks to four shutout innings by Dick Selma, Frank Reberger, Don Wilson, and Jerry Koosman. The East extended the lead with a run off Atlanta's Steve Carlton. Ray Fosse lead off with a single, Bonds then reached on a fielders choice, stolen second, and scored on Petrocelli's second RBI single of the game. Crawford's solo shot off Tom Seaver sliced the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, but Ellie Rodriguez immediately restored the two-run margin with a sac fly to plate Richie Hebner, who led off the eighth with a double off LA's Joe Gibbon.

League officials have not announced the site of next year's Midsummer Classic. The host traditionally alternates between the two divisions, and the only West Division teams who haven't hosted the game yet are Atlanta and Dallas.
  

WEST DIVISION	EAST DIVISION
Pitching woes kept the explosive Toppers from pulling away in the West.  #3 starter Ron Reed was 0-1, 7.15 in 5 starts, and Steve Carlton's ERA ballooned to 4.74 in June. . .  Joe Torre homered and drove in 4 runs in an 8-4 win over St. Louis June 20.	Andy Messersmith shut out Chicago for the second time this season, improving on May 6's four-hitter with a two-hitter June 19.  In his next start he blanked Cleveland on four hits. . . Joe Rudi led all batters with 24 RBIs in June.
Three days after his All-Star Game-winning hit, Johnny Bench was 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs against San Francisco. . . Fifth starter Wayne Simpson has emerged as the most consistent starter, posting a 5-1 record and 2.97 ERA since entering the rotation in mid-May.	Frank Howard drove in 5 runs in a 10-4 rout of the Bas, June 29.  Bill "Froggy" Hands snapped a four-game skid by pitching seven shutout innings in the game. . .  Bobby Bonds hit four home runs in his last 8 games to join teammates Frank Howard, Dick Allen, and Reggie Jackson in the top 10.
Fritz Peterson shut out San Francisco and struck out 11 for his fifth straight win June 18. . .  Chuck Dobson pitched a two-hit shutout in a 4-0 win over Detroit June 16. . . Closer Ken Tatum has a 1.06 ERA and six saves in his last 13 games, and earned a save in the All-Star Game for the West Division.	Manny Sanguillen homered twice in a 13-3 rout at Manhattan June 18, and was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI on June 28. . .  Sammy Taylor drove in five runs in a 11-4 rout of Washington June 30, Chris Short's first win of the year.
Graig Nettles drove in 4 runs in a 12-10 slugfest win over Atlanta June 19. . . Dave Roberts was the first Maroons hurler to six wins on June 28.  Don Sutton, who led the club with 9 wins last year, has a 9.53 ERA in his last 4 starts.	Phil Niekro has not allowed a run in his last three starts, notching wins over Chicago and Brooklyn and a no-decision against Cleveland. . .  Juan Pizarro, meanwhile, has a 9.53 ERA in his last 3 starts.
Bob Moose won all five of his June starts, posting a 2.08 ERA. . .  Dick Bosman pitched eight shutout innings June 17, but the Spiders lost in 10 to Boston, 2-1. . .  Tug McGraw has seven saves and a 1.23 ERA in his last 15 appearances.	Paul Schaal had five hits against Manhattan on June 28 in a 15-inning loss. . .  Alan Foster shut out Atlanta on three hits June 16. . . Jim Palmer pitched a complete game with no earned runs June 21, but lost 2-1 on two unearned runs due to an Ed Brinkman error.
Tony Perez (.161) and Bill Mazeroski (.167) hit deep slumps in June, contributing to the Colts' 2-9 skid since June 15. . .  Another factor? The disappointing performance of highly-touted Bob Anderson (0-3, 5.59 in June), last year's ERA runner-up (1.98).	Still the worst pitching team in the league, the Bas have nonetheless improved in June, led by George Stone (3.51 ERA, 4.93 in May), and reliever Dick Selma (1.24 ERA in last 16 games, 5.23 in first 8).