The son of Sandman made his professional debut on Tuesday night.
That'd be Mariano Rivera, the 21-year-old kin of the Yankees' legend who earned a record 652 saves during his career in pinstripes. The younger Rivera put in two solid innings of work for the Class A Short Season Auburn Doubledays, a Nationals affiliate, in Auburn's 9-5 win. Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blared over the speakers during Rivera's warm up and he retired three hitters in the bottom of the sixth inning to maintain the Doubledays' 5-4 lead. Rivera fanned the first professional hitter he faced, Cole Lankford, and returned to the hill in the bottom of the seventh.