Rivera Records Record Save

The Yankees don't have anything to play for on a team level, and Mariano Rivera will be the first to tell you he doesn't care about individual stats, but last night he moved into sole possession of second place on the all-time saves list when he closed out the Yankees 4-2 win over the White Sox.

In recording his 36th save in 37 attempts, and third in as many days, Rivera moved ahead of Lee Smith with 479 career saves. The victory was the Yankees third straight, the first time they achieved that feat at home since July.

Al Aceves had another impressive start, limiting the White Sox to two runs over six innings. Phil Coke pitched a scoreless inning to pick up his first major league win and has not been scored on in eight innings this season.

Xavier Nady crushed a Mark Buehrle pitch to straight away center to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the second inning. It was Nady's 11th home run since joining the Yankees from Pittsburgh, and his 24th of the season overall. It also gave him 90 RBI between the two teams.

Dewayne Wise tied things up in the fourth with a 2-run shot of his own, his fourth home run of the season, but Aceves and the Yankees pen would be unscored on the rest of the night.

Ehren Wassermann replaced Buerhle to start the seventh inning and immediately walked Nady. Chad Moeller successfully sacrificed Nady into scoring position, so Joe Girardi sent up Wilson Betemit to pinch-hit for Cody Ransom. Ozzie Guillen countered with lefty Horacio Ramirez to force Betemit to switch around to his weaker right side. But Betemit drilled a one hopper over the wall in left-center field for a ground rule double and a go ahead RBI.

Betemit moved to third base on Brett Gardner's fly out and scored on a single to right by Johnny Damon for a 4-2 Yankees lead. The Yankees then went to the power arms out of the pen. Joba Chamberlain struck out two in the eighth inning and Rivera retired the side in order in the ninth, for "just another save".


News and Notes

Derek Jeter went 0-4 in his attempt to pass Lou Gehrig for the most hits in Yankee Stadium. He did catch Gehrig for second place in team history for number of at-bats though with 8,001. Mickey Mantle is the franchise leader with 8,102. Jeter also passed Bernie Williams over the weekend for 5th place in plate appearances.

Robinson Cano was benched as a continued punishment for lack of hustle on Sunday.

Pitcher Humberto Sanchez and catcher Francisco Cervelli were recalled from the minor leagues. Cervelli, as you may recall, suffered a broken wrist during spring training when the Rays' Elliot Johnson steam rolled him at home plate.

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