Mariano Riviera made an emotional final appearance at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, coming into the game in the eighth inning and leaving with two outs in the ninth to a standing ovation and to his surprise he was taken out of the game by teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte on the mound.
Rivera was brought into the game in the eighth inning while the game was not in hand for the Yankees, but Joe Girardi knew that with this being his last game at Yankee Stadium, the situation did not matter. Rivera came out of the bullpen for the last time to his entrance music "Enter Sandman" and got out of the eighth inning by getting two outs and then he came out once again for the ninth, knocking out the first two batters before he was set to get pulled.
Girardi wanted to give Rivera one last sendoff and the fans responded in kind and then another gesture came when Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter emerged from the dugout. The two teammates came out to the mound and Rivera was surprised and emotional as he knew what was about to happen. He hugged Pettitte hard and started tearing up on the mound and Jeter could be seen saying to Mo "Time To Go", which it was.
Rivera left to a huge applause from the Rays and the Yankees and then afterwards he was left alone on the bench before making another curtain call. His final appearance did not result in a save, but he has 44 this season after being injured last year and his last line at Yankee Stadium reads with 1.1 innings pitched, no hits and no strikeouts, but with a ton of memories.
The Yankees did his sendoff right on Sunday, retiring his number and doing a pregame ceremony, but this game was what really mattered, as Rivera took the mound in the Bronx for the last time. Rivera has pitched in World Series from that mound and has been a stalwart for the Yankees and now he will finish his career in Houston over the weekend before he officially is done.
The Yankees have been free falling since getting close to the wild card race and although they are officially eliminated from the playoffs, they at least were able to give Mo the sendoff he deserved. Rivera might even get the chance to do something he always dreamed of, as Girardi said that he may be willing to play him in the outfield against the Astros, something he always asked Joe Torre to let him do. Only time will tell. Exit Sandman.
