Mariano Rivera Says Goodbye In An Emotional Final MLB Appearance at Yankee Stadium (Video)

An emotional Mariano Rivera took to the Yankee Stadium mound one last time Thursday night as Major League Baseball's (MLB) all-time save leader played his last home game, pitching 1 1/3 innings before being pulled out the game by teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte.

"I was bombarded with emotions and feeling that I couldn't describe," Rivera said after the game, surrounded by his wife and three sons. "Everything hit at that time. I knew that was the last time. Period. I never felt like that before."

Jeter and Pettitte came up through the Yankee farm system with Rivera - all three getting the call-up to the storied major league franchise in 1995 and winning five World Series together. Yankee manager Joe Girardi - also a former teammate of Rivera - came up with the idea of having Rivera's longtime teammates pull him from the game in the ninth inning, conferring with home plate umpire Laz Diaz and crew chief Mike Winters, to see if it was possible for the trio to have their moment.

"I've never seen a player pull another player, so I had to ask. And then one of them was on the DL," said Girardi. "Then I said, 'Well, can I send two?' and they said, 'Well, go ahead.' And I really appreciate (that) because I think it made the moment even more special for Mo."

At first, Pettitte was hesitant about going to the mound, wanting Rivera to enjoy his moment, but quickly changed his mind as he got caught up in the moment.

"I didn't say anything at first, and I didn't expect for him to be quite so emotional," said Pettitte. "He broke down and just gave me a bear hug, and I just bear-hugged him back. He was really crying. He was weeping, and I could feel him crying on me."

Rivera ended his night retiring Delmon Young, Sam Fuld, Jose Lobaton and Yunel Escobar on 13 pitches, the 465th perfect outing of his career, finishing his career with 652 saves during a 19-year career span. Rivera, the last active player to wear #42 after the number was retired league-wide in honor of Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson who broke baseball's color barrier, had his number retired Sunday and jersey hung in the stadium's Monument Park, in a pre-game ceremony that saw heavy metal band Metallica serenade the closer with "Enter Sandman" - Rivera's signature intro song prior to hitting the mound.

After the game was over, Rivera went to the mound one last time and took a memento of a special night the closer will never forget despite all the championships and accolades.

"I wanted to get some dirt, just stay there for the last time, knowing that I ain't going to be there no more, especially pitching," said Rivera. "Maybe throw a first pitch one year, one day. But competing -- won't be there no more. So that little that I was there was special for me."