Rivera bids farewell as Yanks fall to Rays

NEW YORK—Mariano Rivera said goodbye to Yankee Stadium with hugs, tears and cheers.

Baseball’s most acclaimed relief pitcher made an emotional exit in his final appearance in the Yankees’ home pinstripes, when captain Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte came to the mound to remove him with two outs in the ninth inning of a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. “It’s time to go,” Jeter appeared to tell Rivera. During four minutes of thunderous chanting from the sellout crowd 48,675 began, an overcome Rivera sobbed as he buried his head on the shoulder of Pettitte, who also is retiring when the season ends Sunday, and then hugged Jeter.

It was an extraordinary sight in a sport where a manager almost always goes to the mound to make a pitching change.

Orioles 3, Blue Jays 2

BALTIMORE—Miguel Gonzalez pitched seven innings of two-hit ball, Matt Wieters homered and drove in two runs, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays.

Nick Markakis had two hits and an RBI for the Orioles, who won the season series 10-9.

Gonzalez (11-8) allowed one unearned run, struck out five and walked one. The only hits were a single by Kevin Pillar in the third inning and a double by J.P. Arencibia in the seventh.

Gonzalez retired 13 straight batters at one point. It was the first game this season in which the righthander didn’t give up a run.

Jim Johnson got three outs for his AL-leading 48th save.

Royals 3, White Sox 2

CHICAGO—Jeremy Guthrie pitched seven strong innings, and David Lough hit a two-run homer to lead the Kansas City Royals to a victory over the Chicago White Sox.

One day after being eliminated from the postseason, the Royals earned their 84th win, their most since 1993.

Guthrie (15-12) became the Royals’ third 15-game winner since 1997. He gave up two runs and four hits, striking out four and allowing one walk. Guthrie already surpassed his career best win total when he won his 12th on Aug. 5 against the Twins.

Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn hit solo homers for the White Sox, who have lost 21 of their 27.