13 moments that made Mo a legend in NYC

Mariano Rivera’s journey to Cooperstown included 652 regular-season saves and one other 42 within the postseason, so there was no scarcity of choices in selecting the nearer’s biggest profession highlights.

To honor the primary participant to be unanimously chosen to the Hall of Fame, MLB.com appears to be like at 13 moments that made Rivera a legendary presence on the mound — one for every of his All-Star appearances.

1. Seventh heaven
Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series had already seen a full postseason’s price of drama by the point Rivera took the mound within the prime of the ninth with the Yankees and Red Sox tied 5-5. Rivera allowed two hits over three scoreless innings, throwing 48 pitches to set the stage for Aaron Boone’s pennant-clinching residence run to guide off the eleventh inning. Overcome with emotion, the nearer ran to the mound and collapsed to his knees. With one run allowed over eight innings in 4 appearances, Rivera earned ALCS MVP honors.

2. The greatest crew ever
Rivera and the Yankees gained 114 video games throughout the 1998 common season, however something in need of a World Series title would have rendered their 12 months unsatisfying. Rivera — who had skilled a uncommon failure throughout the earlier postseason, his first as a better — responded with an October to recollect, throwing 13 1/3 scoreless innings over 10 appearances. He went 6-for-6 in save alternatives, together with three in opposition to the Padres within the Fall Classic, recording the ultimate out of the World Series for the primary time in his profession on Oct. 21, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. It wouldn’t be the final.

3. MVP
Rivera closed out his second straight World Series because the Yankees accomplished a four-game sweep of the Braves on Oct. 27, 1999, within the Bronx. For the second 12 months in a row, the nearer was flawless in October, as Rivera threw 12 1/3 scoreless innings over eight appearances. His World Series line: 4 2/3 scoreless innings, one win and two saves, incomes him sequence MVP honors for the primary time.

4. A milestone day
Rivera entered the Yankees’ recreation at Citi Field in opposition to the Mets within the eighth inning on June 28, 2009, seeking to lock down the five hundredth save of his profession. He achieved that feat with a four-out save, but it surely was his bases-loaded stroll within the prime of the ninth that served because the day’s largest spotlight as Rivera picked up the one RBI of his profession.

5. King of Queens
Playing in his thirteenth and closing All-Star Game in 2013, Rivera jogged in from the Citi Field bullpen solely to search out an empty discipline. AL supervisor Jim Leyland opted to usher in Rivera for the eighth to ensure he received into the sport, then held his crew again whereas the best nearer of all-time soaked within the prolonged standing ovation from the New York crowd. Rivera pitched a scoreless inning within the AL’s 3-0 win, incomes MVP honors.

6. No. 602
Rivera had already joined Trevor Hoffman as the one closers in historical past to achieve the 500- and 600-save marks, however No. 602 formally moved the Yankee into rarified air. On Sept. 19, 2011, Rivera recorded the ultimate three outs in opposition to the Twins at Yankee Stadium, hanging out Chris Parmelee to change into the Majors’ all-time saves chief.

7. Welcome to October
All legends begin someplace, and for Rivera, it was on the previous Yankee Stadium on Oct. 4, 1995. The right-hander entered Game 2 of the ALDS with the Yankees trailing the Mariners, 5-4, within the prime of the twelfth inning. Rivera struck out Jay Buhner to finish the inning, then watched the Yanks tie the sport within the backside of the body. He retired 10 of the 12 batters he confronted, preserving Seattle off the board by the fifteenth earlier than Jim Leyritz gained it for New York within the backside of the fifteenth. The most sensible postseason performer of all-time had been formally launched to the baseball world.

8. First of 5 World Series titles
Rivera had not but assumed the Yankees’ nearer function in 1996, however he made his presence felt with a stellar season as a setup man, ending third in AL Cy Young Award voting. With the Yankees on the verge of their first World Series title since 1978, Rivera sat down six of the seven Braves he confronted in Game 6 of the World Series, pitching two scoreless innings earlier than handing off to nearer John Wetteland. That season would mark the primary of Rivera’s 5 World Series championships.

9. New York, New York
For all the Yankees’ success, no sequence meant extra to the crew’s fan base than the 2000 World Series in opposition to the crosstown-rival Mets. Although Rivera allowed a pair of runs in a non-save scenario in Game 2, he rebounded with saves in Games 4 and 5 to shut out the Yanks’ third straight championship. The Oct. 26 clincher at Shea Stadium noticed Mike Piazza step to the plate because the tying run, however Rivera received him to fly out to Bernie Williams to safe the title. That marked Rivera’s seventh profession World Series save, establishing a brand new document.

10. Back on prime
It had been 9 years because the Yankees had gained the World Series, however the “Core Four” of Rivera, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada helped information New York again to the Fall Classic within the first 12 months on the new Yankee Stadium. On Nov. 4, 2009, the Yanks handed their legendary nearer a four-run lead in Game 6, then watched Rivera get the ultimate 5 outs in opposition to the Phillies to wrap up the fifth championship of his profession.

11. Fond farewell
The Yankees have been nonetheless mathematically alive for postseason competition, however their recreation on Sept. 21, 2008, in opposition to the Orioles was about way more. In the ultimate recreation ever to be performed on the previous Yankee Stadium, Rivera took the mound with a four-run lead within the ninth, making fast work of Baltimore with an 11-pitch inning. Although the Yanks went on to overlook the playoffs, there was no extra becoming sight than that of Rivera closing out one final recreation to ship the ballpark out on a successful observe.

12. Monuments are without end
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaimed Sept. 22, 2013, as “Mariano Rivera Day,” establishing a memorable day within the Bronx. During a 50-minute pregame ceremony, the Yankees retired his No. 42 and hung a plaque for him in Monument Park, making him the primary energetic participant to earn these honors. To cap off the ceremony, Metallica took the sector to carry out “Enter Sandman,” which Rivera had used as his entrance music for almost all of his profession.

13. ‘It’s time to go’
Rivera’s closing large league look on Sept. 26, 2013, would not be a save scenario — or perhaps a Yankees victory. With New York trailing Tampa Bay, 4-0, Rivera recorded the ultimate two outs of the eighth and the primary two outs of the ninth earlier than supervisor Joe Girardi despatched Jeter and Pettitte to the mound to take away their longtime teammate for the ultimate time. “It’s time to go,” Jeter mentioned, getting fun from Rivera earlier than the nearer broke out into tears, burying his face in Pettitte’s shoulder earlier than soaking within the prolonged ovation from a grateful residence crowd.