Many years from now, when Miguel Cabrera and Mariano Rivera are attending a Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown, they might be sitting on rocking chairs at the Otesaga Hotel and talking about the glory days.
What happened Friday night surely will enter the conversation because it will be remembered for not only years, but decades. That the Detroit Tigers lost to the New York Yankees, 4-3, in 10 innings and had a 12-game winning streak snapped probably will be forgotten.
But what happened when the best hitter in the game, and a batter some already are calling one of the best ever, faced off with the best closer the game has known was classic.
Cabrera, after fouling balls off both his left knee and shin and hobbling around in circles to walk off the pain, launched a pitch high and deep to center field. Brett Gardner gave chase but gave up at the wall, dropping his head. The ball landed above the monuments, where Yankees Hall of Famers are honored. And that seemed fitting.
Rivera turned to watch it, smiling in disbelief. Cabrera trotted around the bases with his 34th homer of the season, a two-run shot with two out in the top of the ninth that made it 3-3.
“I was doing everything within my power to get him out,” Rivera told reporters in the clubhouse. “…And he hit a home run.”
Rivera said he wanted to get the cutter inside, knowing Cabrera’s ability to go the other way and reach the short right field porch at Yankee Stadium. But Rivera left it too close to the middle of the plate, and Cabrera saw to it that Rivera blew his second consecutive save opportunity.
“The guy’s special – no doubt about it,” Rivera said. “But, again, my job is to get him out.”
Rivera, with 643 saves to his credit, hadn’t blown a save against the Tigers since Bobby Higginson pulled a solo homer against him in the bottom of the ninth of a game at Tiger Stadium on July 6, 1999. Higginson slapped his bat to the ground while watching that one land in the orange seats of the upper deck, and Rivera kicked the mound in disgust in a rare showing of negative emotion.
Cabrera had been hitless in five at-bats against Rivera, but he hung tough and finally got the best of the best there is in the game. He launched a 2-2 pitch, denying Rivera his 36th save of the season.
“He doesn’t surprise us anymore,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland told FOX Sports Detroit’s John Keating. “Nothing he does surprises us. He’s something special.”
Detroit right fielder Torii Hunter said it was a “Hollywood” moment, adding, “You can’t script this better.”
Rivera elected not to walk Cabrera with two out and Austin Jackson on second base after his third double of the game. Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who managed Cabrera when both were with the Florida Marlins, chose to pitch to reigning American League MVP and Triple Crown winner.
Rivera came at him, and it was going to be mano a mano. Cabrera writhed in pain after fouling two cutters off his knee and shin, also refusing to give in.
“He came back and gave us that smile,” said Tigers catcher Brayan Pena. “His confidence was so high…To me, it’s unbelievable.”
Jackson said, “There’s nobody better to have up in that situation, and he proved it.”
Detroit had won twice in extra innings while winning 12 in a row – matching the club’s longest streak since taking 14 straight in 1934. But despite getting two runners to second base with the scored tied, they could not score again.
Brett Gardner’s third hit of the night with the bases loaded and two out against Al Alburquerque won it for the Yankees. Cabrera dove for the ball in vain, but it got through the hole. A guy can have only so much magic up his sleeve for one night.
That last time Rivera blew a save against Detroit – two decades and one stadium ago – he ended up getting the win when Chili Davis got a game-winning single off Tigers closer Todd Jones in the 10th inning.
Even when Rivera, with 30 saves and a 0.77 ERA against Detroit coming into this game, has failed against the Tigers, there’s been a happy ending for the Yankees.
But the outcome won’t be what’s remembered about this one.
