Rivera’s greatest save came in a loss
Part of the mystic of baseball lies in its seemingly infinite number of stories that have transcended to the level of legend. There was a book that my parents had that went through old box scores trying to find corroboration with some of the tallest tales in the sport’s mythology, most of these coming long before games were televised or some even before radio broadcasts. I found these legends extremely interesting; incredible feats that may or may not have happened, the details of which quite possibly exaggerated with each retelling.
And while most of the stories in this book predated more careful stat-keeping, stories like them still continue to this day. Just this weekend, I stumbled across a new modern legend, one that seemed like it was too crazy to be real, a fake online story made up to garner clicks. But after some digging, I confirmed that this was a true story, at least according to those involved.
Mariano Rivera is one of the most prolific closers in the sport. While pitching for 19 seasons for the New York Yankees, contributing to the team’s dominance during the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Rivera amassed 652 saves, an all-time baseball record. But there is one save, perhaps the greatest of his illustrious career, that is not recorded among the others.
It is Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. The Yankees are at the peak of their dynasty’s powers, aiming for their fourth straight championship. It seems like they will soon have it. After a hard fought series with the challenging Arizona Diamondbacks, the star-studded Yankees are up 2-1 headed into the ninth inning and they have Rivera up on the mound. The Bronx’s closer had shut down the Diamondbacks in the eighth, striking out the side, and is now back in the ninth to finish the job. New York needs just three outs to claim their fourth ring in as many years and there is a feeling of inevitably that this will happen.
It doesn’t. Rivera, who led the league in saves that season, looks much more vulnerable in the ninth than the eighth. A leadoff single by Mark Grace is followed by a huge error by Rivera, who misplays a bunt attempt by Damian Miller, giving the Diamondbacks runners on first and second. The Yankees get an out on the next at-bat, but miss out on a double-play opportunity. Tony Womack smacks a double down the right field line, scoring one for the Diamondbacks and after Rivera accidentally hits Craig Counsell, the bases are loaded, the score tied. The Yankees play in; a run scored here means the game is over.
Rivera gets a first pitch strike against Luis Gonzales, but the Diamondbacks’ left fielder gets a hold of the second. It isn’t a hard hit ball, but with the Yankees infield playing in, it loops over the head of Derek Jeter and into the outfield, scoring the winning run for Arizona and giving them a World Series just three years into their existence. It is Rivera’s first blown save in the postseason since 1997 and it could not have come at a worse time.
Or so it seemed. Enrique Wilson was a back-up infielder for the Yankees between 2001 and 2004. Thinking that New York would win the series and hold a subsequent victory parade, Wilson had booked a flight back to his home in the Dominican Republic for a week after the game. However, after the last inning loss, Wilson rescheduled his flight to go home earlier than he had expected.
It was a decision that ended up saving his life. The flight Wilson was originally scheduled to take suffered a mechanical failure and crashed shortly after it left the airport. All 260 people tragically lost their lives.
But because of Rivera’s error and subsequent blown save, Wilson had not been onboard. In a strange twist of fate, what had likely been Rivera’s most gutwrenching outing of his career had inadvertently saved the life of his teammate. After learning of what had happened, Rivera was quoted as saying, “I am glad we lost the World Series because it means that I still have a friend.”
Baseball is crazy. Life is crazy. This is a case of both, and perhaps a reminder that, even in greatest defeats, a silver lining can be found.
A C ertain Point of V iew
