Mariano Rivera saw Rob Thomson jog out to talk things over with two out in the top of the ninth, the potential winning run on third and Manny Ramirez coming up as a pinch hitter.
But there was never any debate about what he was going to do.
“We discussed walking him, but it was never a consideration,” Rivera said. “It was my decision. I just had to get him out, it was simple as that.”
Though it may have seemed a reasonable option, considering what Ramirez has done to the Yankees and Rivera in the past, the closer seemed baffled by the notion of giving him a free pass.
“Why?” Rivera said after pitching two scoreless innings and earning his third win of the year in the Yanks’ 5-4, 10-inning win over Boston last night, their second straight over their AL East rivals. “There’s no reason to do that. Just go at him, it’s as simple as that.”
So a day after hitting two batters for the first time in his career and having to escape a bases-loaded no out jam to pick up the save, Rivera was as confident as ever.
It paid off. Rivera threw Ramirez three fastballs, the first on the inside corner, the second two on the outside corner – and the slugger never swung. Just like that, the threat was over.
Even Rivera was baffled by Ramirez’s lack of action.
On Saturday, it took Rivera until a run was in and the bases were loaded with one out to return to form.
“I was kind of surprised, definitely, that he never took the bat off his shoulder,” Rivera said. “I don’t know what he was thinking. That’s Manny.”
And that’s Rivera. He threw two scoreless innings, retiring five straight after Sean Casey’s bloop single to center to start the ninth. He didn’t provide quite the drama he did in the win on Friday, which was fine with him.
“Tonight was more where I wanted to put the ball,” Rivera said.
The Yankees were glad to see it.