Enter Sandman . . . oops, not yet
Mariano Rivera shakes hands with Francisco Cervelli after nailing down a save in a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays. (June 6, 2010) Credit: AP
TORONTO - Mariano Rivera said, "I don't know what happened there." He wasn't alone.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Yankees leading 4-3 and lefthanded-hitting Adam Lind at the plate, Tony Peña emerged from the dugout and signaled with his left hand to the bullpen, an indication he wanted lefthander Damaso Marte. But Rivera emerged from the bullpen instead.
"I'm going to let Tony explain that to you," said Joe Girardi, who had been ejected in the top of the inning.
Bench coach Peña said the explanation was simple. "On the way out, I just changed my mind," said Peña, who explained that moments earlier, he had told bullpen coach Charlie Wonsowicz he wanted Rivera.
That's why the closer emerged from the bullpen - and why he returned to the pen as Marte trotted in. He struck out Lind, who had been 2-for-5 against him, on four pitches.
Was Rivera embarrassed? "I don't want to say that," he said. "We all make mistakes."
Rivera said he picked up the bullpen phone upon returning to get "an explanation," and although he may have seemed mildly bothered at the time, he was all smiles afterward. "We got to have a good laugh," said Rivera, who earned his 13th save with a five-pitch ninth. "And we won the game."
Extra bases
The Yankees are still carrying three catchers, though that is likely to change once Jorge Posada is cleared to catch. "It's something as Jorgie starts catching we'll have to evaluate," said Girardi, who hopes he will be able to do some catching drills this week . . . Asked if there is anything new to report on pitching coach Dave Eiland, who left the team before this series to deal with a personal matter, Girardi shook his head no. The Yankees are likely to bring up a coach from their minor-league system should the absence continue into this week . . . Robinson Cano's second-inning liner inside third base was fielded by the ball boy and flipped into the crowd. Ground-rule double.. . . OF Marcus Thames said his stiff neck felt better and that he was available to pinch hit.
