Tragedy at Rivera's home

Yanks star flies to Panama after two relatives killed, will be back for ALCS

Victor Dario Avila, 14, was killed Sunday at the Panamanian home of Mariano Rivera. AP

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AP) -- A grieving Mariano Rivera returned to Panama after two family members were electrocuted in his pool, but the star reliever intends to be in New York when the Yankees open their playoff series with the Boston Red Sox.

Rivera learned of the deaths while celebrating with his teammates in the clubhouse after the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins on Saturday to reach the AL championship series.

"I have to comply with my family obligations, and I will return to New York on Tuesday," he told the newspaper La Prensa upon arriving in Panama late Sunday.

Victor Dario Avila, a cousin of Rivera's wife, Clara, and his 14-year-old son were killed Saturday while cleaning the pool at the pitcher's home, Rivera's cousin, Irma Rivera, told The Associated Press.

The teenager, also named Victor Dario Avila, apparently touched an electrical wire while tending to the pool in Puerto Caimito, 40 miles from Panama City. His father died trying to save him, Irma Rivera said.

Rivera's agent, Fernando Cuza, told the AP in an e-mail Monday the pitcher "should be back in time" for Game 1 of the ALCS on Tuesday night.

Yankees manager Joe Torre was expected to address the matter during Monday's workout at Yankee Stadium. New York advanced by beating Minnesota 6-5 in 11 innings, with Rivera getting the win.

The New York Times and Daily News reported Monday that Rivera's brother-in-law discovered the victims and was injured while trying to rescue them from the water. The Times said the man, the husband of Clara Rivera's sister, was hospitalized Sunday night in stable condition, according to a correspondent for Editora Panama America, which publishes three national newspapers in Panama.

Avila was a fisherman who also cleaned and maintained Rivera's home. Clara Rivera was traveling to Panama following the accident, family members said.

"Everyone is sad," Irma Rivera said. "Victor was a good man."

Rivera, a key to the Yankees' four World Series titles and six AL pennants since 1996, has been perhaps the biggest factor in their postseason success, converting 30 of 33 save chances. Torre considers Rivera so dependable that New York fans often count the game as a win as soon as they hear "Enter Sandman," the Metallica song played at Yankee Stadium when Rivera jogs from the bullpen to the mound.

Against Boston in Game 7 of last year's ALCS, Rivera pitched three scoreless innings in his longest appearance since Sept. 6, 1996. He won the series MVP award.

While the acquisition of Tom Gordon enabled Torre to lessen Rivera's eighth-inning appearances and helped the closer save a career-high 53 games this year, the Yankees regard Rivera as irreplaceable, a reason the team agreed in March to a $21 million, two-year contract extension through 2006.

"It's a domino effect when you lose a guy like Rivera," pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said last year, when Rivera began the season of the disabled list with a groin injury.