As long as Don Mattingly has waited to reach the postseason, it sometimes seems as though his fans have been waiting longer for him to get there. The love affair finally reaches its climax last night at 7:54 p.m., when Mattingly was introduced for the first game of the Yankees-Mariners playoff series at Yankee Stadium. Mattingly trots onfield to hundreds of popping flashbulbs and a tremendous ovation rivaled only by the one afforded manager Buck Showalter.

At 8:06, Mattingly bounds up the dugout steps and leads the Yankees onto the field.



Top First

Mattingly races in from the edge of the outfield grass to catch Ken Griffey Jr.'s towering pop, halfway between home plate and the mound.



Bottom Second

With the score 0-0, Mattingly, who has been moved up to fifth in the order, is announced as leadoff batter to another tremendous standing ovation. In his initial postseason at-bat, he looks at a ball and takes a strike before lofting a lazy fly ball to right that brings a brief cheer before fans realize the Mariners' Jay Buhner has an easy bead on it. Buhner makes the catch.



Bottom Fourth

With one out and the Yankees leading, 2-1, Chris Bosio gets ahead of Mattingly 1-and-2 before Mattingly lines out to Ken Griffey Jr. in deep left-center.



Top Fifth

Mattingly flashes his Gold Glove pedigree, scooping a low throw by Tony Fernandez, then quickly controlling it when it pops out of his glove to nip the speedy Luis Sojo. Then Mattingly starts toward a Vince Coleman grounder in the hole before hustling back to take Randy Velarde's throw just in time (though the replay suggests Coleman is safe). Finally, Mattingly produces the third out on his own, taking Joey Cora's grounder unassisted.



Bottom Sixth

The moment for which Mattingly has thirsted for 14 years arrives. The score is tied at 2, with two outs and Bernie Williams on second. With the crowd standing and screaming through every pitch, the captain works the count to 3-and-1, then pulls a fastball to rightfield for a single, scoring Williams with the go-ahead run. The fans begin chanting, "Donnie, Donnie!" as Dion James steps in and singles Mattingly to third. Mattingly scores the Yankees' fourth run on Mike Stanley's single.



Top Seventh

Mattingly ranges into the hole for Coleman's grounder and leads Cone with a perfect throw just ahead of Coleman (this time the replay shows Coleman is out).



Bottom Seventh

With four runs already in and the Yankees leading 8-4 with one out, Mattingly lines a double into the leftfield corner to knock out Mariners reliever Bobby Ayala. Ayala's line: 5 batters faced, 4 hits, 1 home run, 2 doubles, 1 single and 3 runs when Mattingly is stranded at second by Gerald Williams and Stanley. By Michael Dobie. STAFF WRITER

Copyright 1995, Newsday Inc.