Yankees' Posada going out with big Smash

The words "Jorge Posada" and "triple" aren't often mentioned in the same breath. After all, the longtime Yankees catcher had 10 triples in 6,499 regular-season and postseason at-bats.
That changed yesterday in at-bat 6,500, in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tigers.
Posada blasted a shot to deep left-center field in the ninth inning, and as he began to run the bases, Derek Jeter noticed something from the Yankees dugout.
"You could tell when he was between first and second," Jeter said, "he wasn't going to stop."
Posada didn't have to. Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson didn't pick the ball up cleanly, and Posada rambled all the way to third with the first postseason triple of his career. It was part of a second strong ALDS game for the designated hitter.
In yesterday's 5-3 loss, Posada was the only Yankee to rack up two hits and he also walked. His triple was part of the Yankees' ninth-inning rally off Tigers closer Jose Valverde. Posada also went 1-for-3 with a walk in Game 1, giving him a solid start in what almost certainly will be his final postseason in pinstripes.
Posada also had an eventful day in other ways. He played in his 122nd career playoff game, moving into second place all-time and trailing only Jeter's 149 games.
And for the second straight postseason game, Posada caught the ceremonial first pitch. Before Game 1, he caught a pitch from Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Yesterday, he handled a toss from retired Yankees great Andy Pettitte.
"Andy's a special man," said Posada, who hugged his longtime teammate afterward.
In his first at-bat, Posada was overmatched, getting blown away on a 98-mph fastball from Max Scherzer. But he drew a walk in the fifth inning, then singled in the seventh, driving Scherzer out of the game.