Yankees closer Mariano Rivera almost had flashbacks to 2001 when he lost the World Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks. In that game, it all started with a bloop single.
Last night a 10th inning rally by the Diamondbacks started the same way. After center fielder Curtis Granderson gave the Yankees a 6-5 lead with a solo home run in the top half of the 10th, Rivera came out to work his second inning of the night.
Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew started the bottom half with a broken bat single off Rivera. Justin Upton then drilled a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Rivera intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases with nobody out.
There are not many pitchers who can get out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam and make it look easy. Rivera did just that, once again proving he is the greatest closer of all time. Mainly using his famous cutter, Rivera made quick work of the next three batters.
The Yankees closer got Chris Young to foul out behind the plate for the first out. With the first out taken care of, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was feeling confident in getting out of the jam.
“There isn’t a human on the planet who can get out of that jam like Mo,” Rodriguez said. “Once he gets one out, then you’re like, ‘Well, now a double play gets us out of it.’ I thought the biggest out was the first one.”
Rivera did not get a game-ending double play, but he did get the next batter, Adam LaRoche, to hit a weak pop-up to third for the second out.
Find out what happened next, continue this story at Double G Sports .
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