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Super Mariano Rivera extends scoreless streak to set postseason record
Updated: Saturday October 14, 2000 2:53 AM
SEATTLE (AP) -- Put Mariano Rivera in a New York subway car and he might get lost in the crowd. Put him on the mound in October and he may be the most dominating pitcher ever. Rivera became king of the hill Friday night. He broke Whitey Ford's record for consecutive scoreless innings in postseason play, extending his streak to 33 1/3 innings as the Yankees beat Seattle 8-2 in Game 3 of the AL championship series. "I didn't think about it at all. It just happens," the New York closer said. "It's important, but it's not about the record, it's about winning." Lean and slightly built, Rivera bears no physical resemblance to big, intimidating relievers of the past and present, guys like Goose Gossage, Lee Smith or Armando Benitez. His results, though, tower above all others. As in, once he comes in, the game's over. "Mo's been almost automatic, there's not even anything else I can say about that," said Andy Pettitte, Friday night's winning pitcher. "The guy comes in and just doesn't give up runs." Try this these overall postseason stats for Rivera:
"He gets that look in his eye when you get to postseason play," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "It's pretty tough to duplicate what he has accomplished here." Other pitchers have done exceptionally well in October, of course.
Sandy Koufax had an 0.95 ERA in 57 innings despite a 4-3 record. Rivera's teammate, Orlando Hernandez, is 7-0 with a 1.22 ERA in the postseason. And Ford held the scoreless streak record. Rivera said he met Ford at spring training in 1993 and has kept in touch with the Yankees Hall of Famer. "I know he played very well, and I'm just happy to be breaking the record as a Yankee because it was a Yankee who held it," he said. Featuring a cut fastball, a hard pitch that acts like a late-breaking slider, Rivera got the final five outs to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead over the Mariners. Rivera tied Ford's mark of 33 shutout innings -- set for the Yankees in the World Series from 1960-62 -- by breaking pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez's bat on a soft liner in the ninth inning. History came when Rivera retired Mark McLemore on a weak grounder to end the game. First baseman Tino Martinez fielded the ball, touched the bag and presented the souvenir to Rivera. Catcher Jorge Posada patted Rivera on the back. "I feel pretty comfortable knowing he's going to be on the mound, God love him. He's been so consistent for us," Torre said. The game over, it was time for Rivera to shake hands with his teammates -- a scene all-too-familiar for those who have tried to solve him at the plate. Last year, Atlanta's Chipper Jones even chuckled as he watched teammate Ryan Klesko break three bats in one plate appearance against Rivera in the World Series. "You hate to sit there and laugh. Sometimes it's comical," winning pitcher Andy Pettitte said. Said Rivera: "I never laugh. I don't want hitters to think about me being a bad guy." In fact, Rivera doesn't show any emotion while he's pitching. No shouting, no fist pumping, no anything. All business, all the time. "He's not afraid to fail," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "He comes right at you." Rivera has four saves in these playoffs against Oakland and Seattle. He has not allowed a run in 23 postseason appearances since giving up a key home run to Cleveland's Sandy Alomar in the 1997 division series. Asked if he recalled the last time he permitted a run, Rivera mentioned Alomar. "Somebody told me," Rivera said with a sheepish smile.
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