THE POSTGAME SHOW: Mariano's conversation with God

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Mariano Rivera was asked what he was doing as the Yankees rallied in the eighth inning in ALCS Game 1.

"I was praying," he said. "Good conversation with the good Lord."

Rivera pitched past a leadoff single in the ninth inning for the save in the Yankees' 6-5 win over the Rangers. With the tying run on second, he struck out Michael Young and got Josh Hamilton to ground out to third base to end the game.

Hamilton was the one who hit a three-run homer off CC Sabathia in the first inning. The Rangers took a 5-0 lead after four against the Yankees' ace and then did not score again against the bullpen.

Joba Chamberlain, in his first appearance of this postseason, pitched a scoreless inning. Dustin Moseley threw two dominant innings. After the Yankees took the lead, Kerry Wood set the Rangers down in the eighth despite a leadoff walk, helped by a pickoff of Ian Kinsler at first base.

"C's picked us up all year," Chamberlain said of Sabathia. "He's been a horse all year. It was our job to pick him up. We knew we had to do that. We never panicked. That starts from the top, from Skip, and goes down to the 25th man on the roster. I think that was big for us, not to panic."

Moseley was the winning pitcher after the Yankees rallied. He struck out four in two innings. He was beaming because it was also his wife's 28th birthday.

"It was a nice little present for her," he said.