The last time Mariano Rivera pitched more than two innings in a game was more than three years ago. It wasn’t a problem for him to do it again last night.
“There’s no tomorrow,” he said.
Rivera continued his career mastery — no, not just postseason mastery, but career mastery — in last night’s incredible ALCS Game 2 victory for the Yankees. In their 4-3 13-inning win, Rivera logged 2 1/3scoreless innings, going beyond two innings for the first time since he went three innings on May 30, 2006 against the Tigers.
PHOTOS: YANKEES BEAT ANGELS IN FIVE-HOUR GAME 2
Last night, Rivera was summoned in the eighth with men on first and second and two outs and Erick Aybar at the plate. The legendary closer, who had a feeling he’d be called on face Aybar if the situation presented itself, proceeded to retire the Angels shortstop on a groundout to second.
Rivera then had a perfect ninth — striking out two — and allowed a leadoff single to Vladimir Guerrero in the 10th before going 1-2-3 after that. His career LCS ERA is now a miniscule 0.86 — the lowest ever.
Rivera logged two innings once this year, but last night he only needed to throw 25 pitches to record his seven outs — an incredibly efficient ratio. In the postseason this year, he’s pitched in all five Yankee games, firing seven scoreless innings.
Meanwhile, this was the longest postseason outing Rivera has had since he went three innings against the Red Sox in the memorable ALCS Game 7 in 2003.