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Rivera hits milestone with save No. 450

BY KAT O'BRIEN | kat.obrien@newsday.com

April 29, 2008

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CLEVELAND - Lost in the concern over Jorge Posada's injury Sunday was the fact that Mariano Rivera recorded the 450th save of his career. Even Rivera said he did not know he had hit that milestone until someone told him yesterday. Rivera is not much for self-promotion, saying: "I don't like to talk about myself."

Manager Joe Girardi, on the other hand, had no trouble discussing Rivera's accomplishment. "It's awfully big," Girardi said. "He didn't close his first year in the big leagues. He's just so consistent. Mo's one of those guys who, what he does, doesn't really faze you. You see how good he's been and you're never really surprised by any accomplishment that he reaches."

Rivera, who also finished last night's 5-2 win for his eighth save of the season, ranks third on baseball's all-time saves list behind Trevor Hoffman (528) and Lee Smith (478). Rivera has allowed four hits and no walks in 11 scoreless innings and has 11 strikeouts. "It's all about opportunities," he said.

Cano still struggling

Robinson Cano (.153) went 0-for-3 and was 4-for-32 on the road trip. "He's struggling right now and his confidence is down," hitting coach Kevin Long said before the game.

Cano said what upsets him most is not his personal struggles but that there have been times when a big hit by him could have pushed the team to victory. "I've had opportunities to help the team win, and I didn't do it," he said. "That is the frustrating part." But he noted: "There's still five months left of baseball. If I get frustrated now, I'm never going to come out of it."

Extra bases

A young boy named Kyle Jeter Reeves -- yes, he was named after the Yankees' captain -- who was injured when Bobby Abreu's foul ball hit him above the right eye during a game in Cleveland last year, visited the clubhouse. Jeter took particular interest in him. Abreu and Jose Molina signed autographs and posed for pictures.

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