Mariano Rivera is used to throwing the last pitch in a Yankees win.
Throwing the first pitch? That was a new experience.
Rivera tossed out the ceremonial first pitch as he was honored for his 500th save, then closed out Tuesday night's 8-5 win over the Mariners for No. 501, locking down the Yankees' sixth consecutive victory.
"That might be a first, huh?" Derek Jeter said. "I don't think I've seen that before."
Rivera protected the lead just one inning after Brian Bruney failed to do so, as the setup man coughed up a two-run advantage that Alex Rodriguez had given the Yankees with a huge homer in the seventh. Continue
Comments