Then, a moment of silence for the victims of the July 7 London bombings, which took place a few days before the game, followed by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Brass Players' performance of "God Save the Queen", the national anthem of the United Kingdom.

In the first inning, starters Mark Buehrle and Chris Carpenter each induced a double play, from Carlos Beltrán and Manny Ramírez respectively, to end early threats.

The American League would score in the bottom of the second, when the game's MVP, Miguel Tejada, crushed a shot off John Smoltz to give the AL a 1–0 lead.

The NL wasted a scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth, when with two runners on, Aramis Ramírez grounded into a double play to end that threat.

Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Mark Teixeira, a switch-hitter, hit an opposite field, two-run homer off Dontrelle Willis, his first home run off a left-hander that season, opening the AL's lead to 7–0.

The contestant Frank Nelson was chosen randomly from people who had attended and submitted their name at the local All-Star Game events held in Detroit in the weeks prior.