throwing out the
ceremonial first pitch.
Ceremonies "
The Star-Spangled Banner" was sung by
Sheryl Crow for the second year in a row.
Stan Musial, a former player for the host St. Louis Cardinals and a member of the
Baseball Hall of Fame, gave the baseball for the
ceremonial first pitch to the
President of the United States Barack Obama, who threw it to the hometown
Cardinals' first baseman and leading All-Star vote-getter,
Albert Pujols, while wearing a White Sox jacket. During the
seventh-inning stretch,
Sara Evans sang "
God Bless America". By contrast, little attention was paid to the Canadian national anthem, "
O Canada". An instrumental version was played through stadium speakers during the opening ceremonies, a move criticized by Canadian player
Justin Morneau.
Starting lineups Umpires HR Derby/Bullpen Catchers Game summary The American League got off to a quick start in the top of the first inning by scoring two runs.
Ichiro Suzuki led off the game with a single to right field, then
Derek Jeter reached base on a hit-by-pitch. With one out,
Mark Teixeira hit a groundball that was misplayed by first baseman
Albert Pujols allowing Jeter to score the game's first run.
Josh Hamilton later added an RBI groundout. The National League answered in the bottom of the second inning by scoring three runs. Singles by
David Wright,
Shane Victorino and
Yadier Molina, plus a ground rule double by
Prince Fielder, all with two outs, gave the NL the lead. The American League tied the score at three in the fifth on a two-out double by
Joe Mauer off
Chad Billingsley, and retook the lead when
Adam Jones drove in
Curtis Granderson, who tripled off
Heath Bell, on a sacrifice fly in the eighth. American League pitchers at one point retired 18 straight batters (and 22 of the final 24) on just 48 pitches before
Joe Nathan walked
Adrián González with two outs in the eighth. Nathan, however, struck out
Ryan Howard with runners on second and third to end the threat.
Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn a record fourth All-Star Game save.
Carl Crawford went 1-for-3 but made a great defensive catch in the seventh inning to rob
Brad Hawpe of a home run. Crawford was given the MLB All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player award. on the mound. This was the seventh straight win for the American League since the All-Star game had first been used to determine home-field advantage for the World Series. The AL improved to 12-0-1 since its 1996 defeat in Philadelphia — the longest unbeaten streak in All-Star history. It was also the first All-Star game without a home run by either league since the 1999 Midsummer Classic in Fenway Park. ==Related events==