Derek Jeter's walk-off single in his final home game at Yankee Stadium Thursday night helped New York seal a 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles in a storybook sendoff that left many, even the "Captain" himself, wondering what Broadway playwright conjured up such an ending.
Fans, some paying two to three-times the standard ticket price just to get into the ballpark to see Jeter's final home game, exploded in cheers when No. 2 ripped a fastball into right field to score Antoan Richardson for the game's winning run in the
bottom of the 9th, ESPN reported.
The game marked Jeter's last at Yankee Stadium before he retires next week.
"I wouldn't have believed it myself," Jeter told reporters after the game. "Everyone dreams of hitting a home run in the World Series or getting a game-winning hit. But I was happy with a broken bat and a run scored in the seventh inning; I was happy with that being the end. But I'll take this one."
Jeter's heroics saved the Yankees after his teammates lost a three-run lead to the new American League East champions going into the final inning. The crowd of 48,613 started to buzz when Jeter stepped to the plate with one runner on and a
chance to win the game, USA Today noted.
"It was sort of an out of body experience," Jeter later said. "It was a weird range of emotions. I was just trying not to cry.''
Jeter, though, said that became just about impossible after the game when he greeted by past teammates like Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and manager Joe Torre.
"I've done a pretty good job controlling my emotions,'' he said. "I try to hide them. I try to trick myself into not feeling those particular emotions. Today, I wasn't able to do it.''
Jeter has played on five World Series-winning Yankee teams, collected 3,463 hits (sixth most all-time), and has been selected to 14 All-Star teams. He will have a final chance to add to his hit total during his last series against the Boston Red Sox this weekend, though he said he'll likely play in the
designated hitter position, according to The New York Times.
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