It was one of the most entertaining All-Star Games in recent memory, a 5-4 American League victory that extended the junior circuit's winning streak to 10 games. (We'll conveniently forget that 2002 tie. Surely MLB wants to pretend it never happened.)

After the AL seemingly had the game in hand with a 5-2 lead, the ninth inning packed plenty of drama, thanks to Alfonso Soriano's two-out home run and some wildness from AL closers J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez. But the 27th out finally came when Aaron Rowand flied out to right with the bases loaded, and the AL will have home-field advantage in the World Series again.

There was some history made as well, as Ichiro Suzuki hit the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star Game history, part of a 3-for-3 night that made him a shoo-in for Most Valuable Player honors. It will be a trivia question forever as his line drive off the wall in right field took a strange bounce - it must have had some wicked spin - and the fleet-footed Ichiro made it all the way around the bases.

Victor Martinez of the Indians also hit a pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning that gave the AL the cushion it desperately needed.

Jose Reyes of the Mets had three hits and a stolen base for the National League, which has won the All-Star Game just three times in the last 20 years.