2009 MLB All Star Game Result: AL 4 - NL 3 @ Wearestjohns.com

2009 MLB All Star Game Result: AL 4 – NL 3

With retiring 18 consecutive batters at one point, The American League (AL), won 4-3 Tuesday night at Busch Stadium in 2009 All Star Game. Having not lost since Bill Clinton was president in 1997, they extended their unbeaten streak to a record 13 consecutive games.

With a one-out triple in the eighth inning off the left-field wall, Curtis Granderson of the Detroit Tigers broke the tie game. He scored when Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones, who earlier joked that he hadn’t slept in a week, hit a sacrifice fly off Heath Bell, giving the AL their fourth consecutive one-run victory. The National League (NL) still couldn’t be spared the embarrassment of losing yet another All-Star Game.

It could have become one of the embarrassing nights in All-Star history for the NL if not for the second inning. It was the only inning they even produced a baserunner, let alone scored their three runs off starter Roy Halladay. They didn’t produce another base runner until Adrian Gonzalez’s two-out walk in the eighth. Orlando Hudson followed with single off the glove of shortstop Jason Bartlett, and stole second, but Joe Nathan struck out St. Louis native Ryan Howard, ending the threat

Albert Pujols, the hometown hero who was greeted by a minute-long standing ovation during introductions, couldn’t even save them this night. Pujols, pulled over near his home early Tuesday for running a stop sign, but spared a ticket, was hitless in three at-bats_failing to hit the ball out of the infield. He also booted a ball off Mark Teixeira in the first inning, leading to an unearned run.

The victory provides the AL with home-field advantage once again in the World Series. The AL has won all seven times since home-field advantage was attached to the All-Star Game after the tie in 2002.

It was the first All-Star Game in 10 years without a homer, and only the second time in history there was not a top-10 active hitter in the game. It was also first time president to throw out the first pitch on MLB All Star Game 2009 in 31 years.