New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera earned his 500th career save last weekend, and it completed a Subway Series sweep over the crosstown Mets.

Rivera is the second reliever to record 500 saves, joining all-time leader Trevor Hoffman, who earned the bulk of them with the San Diego Padres before signing with the Milwaukee Brewers as a free agent over the winter.

Rivera needed four outs to reach the milestones, the 110th time he’s gone more than an inning for a save. And as usual, he needed only one pitch – his cut fastball.

Hitters know it’s coming and they still can’t do anything with it.

"I told him he's the best ever. The best I've seen,” catcher Jorge Posada said. “Nobody can even compare.”

UEHARA SHUT DOWN

The Baltimore Orioles were thrilled when they finally opened the doors to the Japanese market during the winter and signed pitcher Koji Uehara to a two-year contract. But after 12 starts, Uehara has been shut down.

Will this franchise ever catch a break?

An arthrogram and follow-up X-ray on Uehara's right elbow has revealed a partial tear of his flexor tendon, and he's expected to miss the next two months of the season. The injury won’t require surgery, but he’ll need to rest for three to five weeks before taking part in a throwing program.

"We're looking at probably seven to eight weeks before he'll get in a game," manager Dave Trembley said.

Uehara will seek a second opinion, but it won’t change the outcome.

"I wasn't expecting it, not at all," Uehara said through his interpreter, Jiwon Bang.

Uehara is 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA. He’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury, and went on the disabled list because of elbow soreness that turned out to be more serious than originally believed.

Speculation already had mounted that Uehara could move to the bullpen because he’s been growing fatigued over the course of his starts. The torn tendon could speed up that transition.  

Uehara spent most of the last two seasons in Japan pitching in relief, but he wants to remain a starter with the Orioles. However, he has bigger concerns at the moment.

“One day at a time,” he said.

The Orioles will try to get him healthy and decide later what to do with him.

"I have no way of knowing if he had this for a while, and if he did, he's one tough son of a gun," Trembley said. "I have to believe he was pitching with some discomfort for a while."

A CLOSER BY ANY OTHER NAME

Tampa Bay’s J.P. Howell would prefer not being called a closer, but he’s recorded six saves since being forced into that role. In addition, he hadn’t allowed a run in his last 15 appearances heading into the weekend and notched four wins and four saves in that span. He allowed six hits, walked eight and struck out 17 over 13 2/3 innings.

Howell hadn’t permitted an earned run in his last 18 games covering 17 2/3 innings.

Howell says he can handle the pressure of closing because he treats the ninth like any other inning. His bullpen mates say it’s only because he doesn’t know the difference.

“He knows what inning it is. I can verify that,’’ Joe Nelson said

“Because we tell him.’’

QUICK HITS

• The Orioles staged the biggest comeback in franchise history when they rallied from a 10-1 deficit Tuesday to beat the Boston Red Sox, 11-10. They collected 13 hits over 1 2/3 innings, the last a two-run double by Nick Markakis off closer Jonathan Papelbon in the eighth that put them ahead.

• Jason Bay, who was leading all AL outfielders in the All-Star voting, joined Cecil Cooper, George Scott (twice), Phil Plantier and Ray Jarvis as the only Boston players to strike out five times in the same game. It happened Wednesday afternoon in Baltimore. Cooper actually fanned six times on June 14, 1974. Bay went 0-for-15 with nine strikeouts in the series.

• Kansas City shortst op Mike Aviles will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on July 8 in Los Angeles. He’ll spent the next nine-to-12 months rehabbing from it. Dr. Lewis Yocum will perform the surgery.
 
• The Texas Rangers have scratched Vicente Padilla from Saturday’s start against Tampa because of lingering soreness in his right shoulder. He’s supposed to play catch Friday and throw in the bullpen the following day, in the hope that he’ll pitch on Tuesday.

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