TV Ratings: MLB All-Star Game carries FOX Tuesday

Left-handed hurler and President of the United States Barack Obama threw out the first pitch at Tuesday's All-Star Game

Credit: Jeff Roberson/AP

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, July 14, 2009.

The American League continued its All-Star Game domination over the National League, while FOX used the tight baseball game to dominate the Tuesday night ratings race.

Among adults 18-49, FOX averaged a 3.8 rating, well ahead of the 2.5 rating for NBC in the key demographic. CBS was third with a 1.8 rating, followed by the 1.3 rating for ABC and The CW's 0.3 rating.

Overall, FOX averaged an estimated 12.32 million viewers to go with a 7.5 rating/13 share. NBC's 5.7/10 was second, topping the 4.8/8 for CBS. ABC's 2.7/5 and The CW's 0.5/1 trailed.

[Note: Due to the running time of the All-Star Game and due to the time-period nature of Fast National ratings, these shouldn't be considered a definitive ratings either for FOX's evening or for the game itself.]

FOX won the 8 p.m. hour with a 7.4/13 for the All-Star Game. CBS was second with a 6.6/12 for "NCIS." A repeat of "America's Got Talent" was third for NBC, nearly doubling the 2.4/4 for ABC's "Superstars." The CW's "90210" was fifth.

In the 9 p.m. hour, NBC got a big 7.9/13 from "America's Got Talent" to nip the 7.6/13 for the All-Star Game. The FOX game did, however, beat NBC in the 18-49 demo with a 4.0 rating. CBS' "Big Brother" was third on the hour with a 3.9/7. ABC's new "Better Off Ted" and a "Scrubs" repeat averaged a 1.6/3 for fourth. As you'd expect, The CW's "Hitched or Ditched" repeat was fifth.

Although the baseball game was still going in much of the country, FOX's ratings don't come into play in the 10 p.m. hour, where NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" was first with a 4.7/8. ABC's "Primetime: Family Secrets" was second with a 4.3/7, leaving CBS' "48 Hours Mystery" in third.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.