11 moments that brought Mussina to the living room

Mike Mussina pitched for 18 years in the Big Top, building an extraordinary career that led to his induction into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Mussina’s journey, which included a decade with the Orioles and eight seasons with the Yankees, was filled with memorable moments, from dominating starts in the regular season to stellar starts in the postseason. With the right-hander turning 53 on Wednesday, let’s take a look at some of the highlights that propelled him to Cooperstown.

1. Great work in relief
Throughout the first 13 years of Mussina’s career, his 400 appearances in the regular season and postseason had been as a starting pitcher. So when Joe Torre called up right-hander from the bullpen in Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series against the Red Sox, with running backs on the corners, no outs and the Yankees trailing 4-0 in the fourth inning – no one knew how he would respond. Mussina got out of trouble without allowing another run, then pitched two more scoreless innings to give the Yankees a chance to come back against Pedro Martinez. Four innings after Mussina left the game, Aaron Boone’s home run against Tim Wakefield won the pennant.

“That was my most exciting moment in New York,” Mussina said after announcing his retirement.

2. His last outing
Mussina knew his September 28, 2008 start would be the last of his career, and with 19 wins already under his belt that season, he had one last chance to secure the first 20-win campaign of his career. Mussina pitched six scoreless innings against the Red Sox bound for the playoffs at Fenway Park, then saw five relievers combine for the final nine outs to seal the victory. Mussina became the oldest pitcher to win 20 games, then joined Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers in history to retire after a 20-win season.

3. Moose shines in the postseason
Mussina hadn’t impressed in his first postseason in 1996, but the right-hander was dominant in 1997, posting a 1.24 ERA in four starts against Seattle and Cleveland. After beating left-hander Randy Johnson in a pair of meetings in the American League Division Series, Mussina took it to another level against Cleveland in the American League Championship Series. He fanned 15 batters in just over seven innings in Game 3, then came back on three days off to hang eight rings in Game 6. Unfortunately for Mussina, the Orioles offense scored only one run in the two games, leaving. no decision in both as Baltimore lost the series in six games.

4. He goes fishing
Mussina’s only World Series victory came in Game 3 of the 2003 Fall Classic, when he limited the Marlins to one run of just over seven innings in a game against Josh Beckett. Mussina was scheduled to pitch Game 7 at Yankee Stadium against future teammate Carl Pavano, but Beckett came back with little rest to finish the Series in six games, leaving Mussina without a championship.

5. Almost perfect
On May 30, 1997, Mussina retired Cleveland’s top 25 batters before giving up a one-out single by Sandy Alomar Jr., ending his bid to pitch a perfect game. Mussina finished off his jewel by allowing a 10-strikeout hit in the Orioles’ 3-0 win, one of four one-hit shutouts in his career.

6. Almost perfect … again
Four years and three months after Mussina was within two outs of perfection, the right-hander took another step forward. Pitching in his first season with the Yankees, Mussina retired the first 26 Red Sox he faced at Fenway Park on September 2, 2001, falling one out of making history. Mussina led the count 1-2 against pinch-hitter Carl Everett before the outfielder finished off the perfect one by hitting a two-strike single. Mussina sealed his one-hit gem, striking out 13 in a 1-0 win over Boston.

7. Moose el salvador
The Yankees were three-time defending World Series champions when Mussina joined the club, but after the first two ALDS games of 2001, New York faced elimination. Mussina kept the Yankees alive with seven scoreless innings, defeating Oakland’s left-hander Barry Zito in a game 1-0. Oh yeah, Derek Jeter made a fancy play in that game too.

8. Fall Classic
Although Game 5 of the 2001 World Series will forever be remembered for Scott Brosius’ two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth (and Alfonso Soriano’s single in the 12th), Mussina did his part after throwing eight terrific innings. two runs and 10 strikeouts. This was probably Mussina’s best chance to win a championship, but Panamanian Mariano Rivera’s failed save in Game 7 left the starter in search of that coveted ring.

9. Dazzling debut
Having been selected 20th in the amateur draft from Stanford in 1990, Mussina made just 28 starts in the minors before being promoted to Baltimore for his major league debut at Comiskey Park on August 4, 1991. Against a potent powerhouse. In a lineup that included now Hall of Famers Tim Raines and Frank Thomas, Mussina limited the White Sox to one run and four hits in 7.2 innings, but the 22-year-old pitcher lost the decision 1-0 to 43-year-old knuckler Charlie Hough, who threw a five-hit shutout.

10. Like a glove in the Bronx
For some players, the pressure that comes with a great free agent contract can be overwhelming, especially in the Big Apple. Mussina didn’t have that problem after signing a six-year, $ 88.5 million deal with the Yankees, making a strong first impression among the Bronx crowd. Mussina pitched 7.2 scoreless innings against the Royals at Yankee Stadium in his debut for the striped team, allowing five hits and no walks before giving the ball to Rivera with a 1-0 lead and two outs in the eighth.

11. A historic day
Only one man mattered on September 6, 1995, when Cal Ripken Jr. snapped Lou Gehrig’s streak of back-to-back games and captured the attention of baseball fans everywhere. Mussina won his 16th game of the season with 7.2 two-run innings against the Angels, becoming the answer to the trivia question: Who was the winning pitcher in Ripken’s 2,131st straight game?