MLB Live Stream, Scores, and More: New York Yankee Mariano Rivera's Five Greatest Moments (Video)

By Staff Reporter (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Sep 29, 2013 12:11 PM EDT

Tags major league baseball, mlb, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, Mariano Rivera, mariano rivera retired

#5: Mariano Rivera ears his first career save (May 17, 1996)
At the time a set-up pitcher for closer John Wetteland, Rivera stepped onto the mound against the California Angels for what would be his first of 652 career saves. Yankees' front-office was impressed with Rivera's ability to get batters out that year, bridging innings for Wetteland during the team's 1996 World Series run, that they decided not to re-sign Wetteland and gave the job to closers job to Rivera.

#4: Mariano Rivera closes out the Philadelphia Phillies for his fifth World Series ring and the Yankees 27^th title (November 4, 2009)
The Yankees had gone through a nine year drought without a championship despite appearances in the 2001 World Series, 2003 World Series, and 2004 American League Championship Series. After acquiring pitcher CC Sabathia, pitcher A.J. Burnette, and first baseman Mark Teixeira in 2009, the Yankees won 103 games, winning the American League East division, and returning to the World Series to face the Philadelphia Phillies. Rivera closed the door on the Phillies in Game 6, shutting down Philadelphia and helping the Yankees earn their 27^th championship in franchise history.

#3: Mariano Rivera gets his career 500 save and his first RBI (June 28, 2009)
Playing against their crosstown rival New York Mets, Rivera was forced to bat in the top of the ninth, having been brought into the game in the bottom of the eighth, and earning his first career RBI, taking a Francisco Rodriguez fastball away from the strike zone, with a full count and the bases loaded. Rivera would seal the deal in the bottom of the ninth to become only the second reliever in Major League Baseball history to notch at least 500 saves.

"I didn't want to be there. I'm not a hitter," said Rivera. "The last thing (I wanted to) happen, was someone hit the ball in the gap and I had to run all the way, but it didn't happen, thank God."

#2: Mariano Rivera wins the World Series Most Valuable Player award (October 27, 1999)
With runners on first and third, Rivera was called upon to save the Yankees out of jam, during Game 4 of the 1999 World Series against the Atlanta Braves, with New York up 3-1. Rivera, who had not given up a run the entire postseason, managed to get 1999 National League MVP Chipper Jones to ground out and shut the door on Atlanta in the ninth forcing Keith Lockhart to pop up for the final out, earning the World Series MVP award and finishing season with 43 consecutive scoreless innings across the regular season and postseason.

#1: Mariano Rivera becomes the all-time career save leader (September 19, 2011)
Pitcher A.J. Burnett gave Rivera a chance to pass San Diego Padre great Trevor Hoffman on the all-time career save list after blowing a 5-run lead. Yankee fans, realizing they were on the verge of witnessing history, loudly cheered when outfielder Nick Swisher grounded into a double-play, in the bottom of the eighth inning, keeping the score at 6-4 and preserving Rivera's save opportunity. With the raucous New York crowd behind him, Rivera caught Minnesota's Chris Parmelee looking with a cutter for the strikeout and save 602 in his career, becoming the all-time save leader in MLB history.