 Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Rakanga riri 1980 iro rakaratidza kuva guru nokuda kwaCruz naAstros. Mumitambo zana nemakumi matanhatu yechikwata, aizorova.302 .360 .426 achiunganidza sarudzo ku1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, yekutanga kwaari. Nhamburiko dzake dzakabvumikisa kuva dzinokosha kuAstros kuita nhambo dzapashure kwenguva yokutanga munhau yetimu. Kuti vapinde mumakwikwi ekupedzisa, vaAstros vaifanira kukunda Los Angeles Dodgers mumutambo wokupedzisa. Mumutambo wokutanga, akabatsira kuwana run yekutanga mumutambo uyu mushure mekurova bhora rakamuendesa kunhandare yekutanga pane sarudzo yemubati wenhandare achirova mumhanyi pachinzvimbo chechitatu. 1980 National League Championship Seriesyakaratidza yakatarisana nhevedzano zvose asi Game One yakaenda kune mamwe mairi, uye Cruz yakaratidza kukosha mumitambo yakawanda. Mumutambo wechipiri, akaputsa tie 2-2 nechisere chechisere kuti awane Joe Morgan. Apo maPhillies akadzoka kuti aenzane, akawedzera muchikamu chegumi nevatambi vepakutanga uye wechipiri pane imwe kunze neine imwe chete iyo yakanga iri yekutanga yemakwikwi mana muchikamu sezvo Astros yakaenzana nhevedzano. Mumutambo wechishanu, akahwina run yekutanga mumutambo paakapa kaviri mu-inning yekutanga. Kufamba kwakarongwa muchikamu chechinomwe nemabhodhi maviri kwakaratidza kuve kwakakosha sezvo maAstros akarova matatu pamakundano maviri akazotevera uye kurova kwemusango kwakawana Cruz. Apo maPhillies akazviita kumusoro kweinings yechisere kuti atungamire 7-5, Cruz neAstros vakarwa kuti vasunge muhafu yepasi, sezvo Cruz akabatsira kurova kurova kwekubatanidza pane imwe chete. Nekudaro, maAstros akatadza kumira kwenguva yegumi, sezvo Garry Maddox akarova mukukunda kumhanya paviri-kubva kaviri kusimbisa magumo eAstros avo vakanga varasikirwa nemitambo miviri yekupedzisira vachida imwe chete kukunda kwepennant. Pamwe chete, Cruz akarova.400 aine RBIs ina, hits nhanhatu, mafambiro masere, uye strikeout imwe. 