The 2013 MLB All-Star game took place last night & Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless eighth to win the MVP and help the AL to a 3-0 win over the NL. Even if you’re not a Yankees fan, you gotta like Mariano Rivera. Congrats to him!
Recap after the jump…
Via ESPN:
Mariano Rivera was all set up to save his final All-Star Game — or so it seemed.
Jim Leyland just wasn’t about to take that chance.
Summoned in the eighth inning to make certain he would pitch, Rivera soaked up a 90-second standing ovation and got three straight outs while helping the American League to a 3-0 victory over the National League on Tuesday night at Citi Field.
“I think the plan was perfect,” said Rivera, who took home the MVP trophy.
Rivera reported early for work, and the New York Yankees’ indomitable closer combined with nine other pitchers on a three-hitter as the AL snapped a three-game skid and regained home-field advantage in the World Series. Joe Nathan saved it in Rivera’s place after the AL scratched out a pair of runs and got an RBI double from Jason Kipnis.
(Story Continues…)
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ON MVP via ESPN:
For his final All-Star Game, Mariano Rivera entered to his familiar “Enter Sandman,” but there was the unfamiliar sight of an empty field around him.
As Rivera jogged in from the right-field bullpen for the eighth inning, none of his teammates took the field to warm up. Instead, both the American League and National League All-Stars stood by their dugouts and joined the sellout crowd of 45,186 at Citi Field for a nearly two-minute standing ovation.
Rivera stood on the mound, took off his cap and acknowledged the reception. He then went on to retire the side, 1-2-3, ending the inning by forcingCarlos Gomez to ground out.
Rivera’s performance was good enough to make him the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999 to be named the All-Star Game MVP and the first New York Yankee since Derek Jeter in 2000. Rivera received a Corvette Stingray for winning the award.
Rivera is the second reliever to win the MVP. In 1975, the Mets’ Jon Matlack shared the award with Cubs third baseman Bill Madlock.
(Story Continues…)
