Clay Holmes gave up a run on Opening Day and hasn’t been scored upon since, sporting a 0.28 ERA in his first 32 innings this season.
He didn’t get a save with his 1 1/3 scoreless innings to close out Saturday’s 4-0 win over Toronto, but did get a Yankees record: the outing gave him 31 1/3 scoreless in a row and 29 straight scoreless appearances, both marks surpassing Mariano Rivera’s 30 2/3 scoreless innings streak and 28 straight scoreless appearances in 1999 and the latter setting a record for Yankees relievers.
“Just for the fact that it’s Mariano Rivera makes it pretty special,” Holmes said after the game. He’s a guy I grew up watching. I think everybody knows what he’s done in this game, obviously it’s pretty amazing. So just to be in the same category of just one little thing he’s done, it’s pretty cool.”
Holmes has been a huge part of the Yankees' strong start - their win Saturday made them just the eighth team in MLB history to start 49-16 or better, six of which went to the World Series - and he even got some love from Rivera on Twitter on Thursday, when he tied Mo’s record of 28 scoreless appearances and pulled within two-thirds of an inning of that record.
“Yes, pretty cool. Just said that he recognized it and sent a little congratulations. You know, it means a lot,” Holmes said. “So obviously, like I said, just you know what he’s done, especially with this organization and this game. He’s a guy that just earned a lot of respect for what he’s done and who he is. Any time he sends out a congratulations, or whatever it is. It was pretty cool.”
“You think about this storied franchise and you bring up the name Mariano, what more can you say?” added manager Aaron Boone. “He’s been absolutely dominant.”
While Holmes’ turbo sinker is nothing like Mo’s cutter, Boone – who of course played with Rivera in 2003 – sees some similarities in the righties.
“They both have the ability to break a lot of bats,” Boone said. “Clay with his sinker to righties obviously, Mariano made a living doing that against left-handed hitters with the cutter in on the hands. I’m sure they keep the bat industry gainfully employed.”
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the last Yankee with a single-season scoreless streak of at least 31 innings was Jack Aker, although those came across only 18 outings.
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