Carl Crawford's Amazing Catch Saves Game, Nets the MVP Award

The ball exploded off the bat of Brad Hawpe, flying through the St. Louis air like so many have done before. Rising through the night sky, the ball had the hopes of the National League attached to it and as it began to clear the fence in left field, it looked as if the streak was finally over.

For 13 years, the National League has experienced frustration in trying to win the most celebrated of all the major sports all-star games. To the dismay of the NL, it would happen again—thanks to the Tampa Bay Rays' Carl Crawford.

Crawford's miraculous grab saved the game for the American League and kept Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon from wearing the goat tag for costing the AL home field advantage in the World Series.

In a night where Tampa Bay had its fingerprints all over this game, it seemed natural that a Ray would make a play that would save it.

While Ben Zobrist and Jason Bartlett were held hitless, Carlos Pena didn't get in the game, and Evan Longoria missed it because of his infected finger, Crawford held the Rays' flag high, going 1-for-3 at the plate and then making his tremendous catch in the 7th to keep the game tied at 3.

"It's definitely probably my best catch I've ever made," Crawford told the Associated Press, "I didn't think it was going to carry that far. But it carried and I just tried to find the wall and was able to jump up and make a play on it."

Orioles outfielder Adam Jones' sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 8th would give the AL the deciding run. Mariano Rivera would come on in the 9th with a one-two-three inning that wrapped up the 4-3 victory for the American League.

Crawford was surprised to be named the 2009 MLB All Star Game's MVP, the first Rays player to earn that honor.

He shouldn't have been.

"Every year when they play the All-Star videos, you are going to see that catch," Rays and American League manager Joe Maddon told the St. Petersburg Times,  "Has there ever been a better All-Star Game catch? A more meaningful one? That catch may have saved a game."