The game started off with Barack Obama throwing out the first pitch, and getting it over the plate. The AL started off with Ichiro slapping a single to right in the first at bat off of Tim Lincecum, followed by Derek Jeter getting pegged to put 2 on with no outs. Teixeira hit a fielders choice to bring home Jeter, and Hamilton had a fielders choice to bring home another run to give the AL a 2-0 lead after a half inning. Lincecum was looking shaky and nervous in the first inning, but later grew into the role. Halladay would go 1-2-3 with the NL in his part of the inning. The next runs would come in the bottom of the second when Halladay got the first 2 batters, than David Wright singled, Victorino singled, than Molina hit an RBI single and Victorino also scored on a throwing error to tie the game at 2, and the NL took the lead when home run derby champion Prince Fielder hit a ground rule double to bring home Yadier Molina and give the national league a 3-2 lead. The american league would get a run back in the top of the 5th when Joe Mauer had an RBI double to bring home Jeter, and bring the AL to a 3-3 tie. After the tying run, Edwin Jackson, Trevor Hoffman, Felix Hernandez, and Francisco Cordero all pitched scoreless innings. In the bottom of the 6th, Brad Hawpe cranked a deep fly ball to left field, and Carl Crawford robbed a potential game changing home run. Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 inning, including a strikeout of Jayson Werth. With one out in the 8th, Curtis Granderson hit a triple to left field over the head of Justin Upton to give the american league a great chance for a run late in the game. Adam Jones would bring home Granderson on a sac fly in Jones' first all star appearance of his entire life in any sport. Heath Bell would strike out Ben Zobrist to end the inning with 2 runners stranded. Joe Nathan would pitch the bottom of the ninth, and got the first 2 outs to make it 18 straight outs for the AL, but walked Adrian Gonzalez to end the streak. Orlando Hudson hit a single up the middle and moved Gonzalez to third to put the tying run on third for the hometown native Ryan Howard. Hudson stole second base to put 2 runners in scoring position, and Ryan Howard would swing at a pitch in the dirt to end the threat, and give the AL a lead going into the ninth. K-Rod would pitch the 9th inning for the national league, and get Brandon Inge to start the inning, strike out Carl Crawford, and get Justin Morneau out on a great catch by Jayson Werth in CF. ENTER SANDMAN, the closer who I have gotten to know very well over the past few years entered the game to try and keep the AL streak alive. Upton grounded out to SS to start the inning, Hawpe struck out looking, and the NL was down to their last out. Miguel Tejada popped out to Zobrist to end the game, and extend it to 13 consecutive years without a NL title. The win goes to Red Sock Jonathan Papelbon and Rivera gets the save, in a game that lasted only 2 and a half hours.