KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Mariano Rivera can relate to what Jeurys Familia is going through.
In his first season as a closer — before he became known as perhaps the greatest pitcher in postseason history — Rivera gave up a crushing, game-tying home run to Sandy Alomar, Jr. in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the ALDS in 1997 in Cleveland.
The Yankees went on to lose the game an inning later and the series the next night.
Rivera has called the homer one of the turning points in his career, because he was able to bounce back from the disappointment and the Yankees went on to win the next three World Series.