It looked as though bringing Mo into a tie game would backfire again as he gave up the lead to the Mets in a seesaw battle. After Hideki Matsui gave the Yankees the lead with a three run home run the Yankees gave it right back as the Mets tied the score at seven.
Phil Coke was able to get two outs in the eighth and had no one on base but with Beltran and Wright coming up Girardi felt that he needed to summon Mo. Rivera pitched carefully to Beltran and walked him. Mo threw a flat cutter to Wright on a 2-2 pitch and Wright hit it up the right center field gap to score Beltran. Mo got Ryan Church swinging to end the inning.
The Yankees did not score in the bottom of the eighth and Rivera remained in the game for the top of the ninth. Sheffield was caught looking, Murphy grounded to short and Santos flew out to right to end the inning.
K-Rod was summoned by the Mets in the bottom of the ninth and the Yankees and Mo needed a miracle and got one. Brett Gardner was retired to start the inning. Derek Jeter singled up the middle and stole second with Damon striking out. Teixeira was pitched around and eventually intentionally walked to put runners on first and second. It was left up to A-Rod vs K-Rod. It looked like the Yankees were doomed when A-Rod popped up to second. Luis Castillo fought the wind a little bit and was under the ball but it hit the heel of his glove and dropped to the ground. Castillo was dazed for a second and when he recovered the ball on his knees he threw it to second. Jeter and Teixeira raced around the bases and scored to win it for the Yankees 9-8.
Rivera is now 1-2 on the season with 14 saves in 15 save opportunities. His ERA now stands at 3.38.
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