Rivera is sure to follow Eckersley into the Hall: The diminutive right-hander has lost little, if any, of his trademark dominance even as he approaches his 40th birthday. Rivera had perhaps his most impressive season ever last year, when he surrendered a career-low 41 hits and six walks in 70 2/3 innings, posted a 1.40 ERA -- just shy of his career low of 1.38 -- and converted 39 of 40 save opportunities. He's 4-for-4 on save opportunities this year and has yet to allow a run or issue a walk in six innings.

Pettitte showed signs of fading last year, when he finished with his second-highest ERA ever (4.54) and posted a 5.35 ERA after the All-Star break. Pettitte's resume is similar to the one fashioned by Welch, who went 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA over 17 big-league seasons and fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after just one year.

But Pettitte, in his 15th big-league season, has 217 wins -- fourth most among active pitchers and one more than Curt Schilling, who is considered more likely than not to reach the Hall -- and a 3.88 ERA in the most hitter-friendly era ever. He was a core member of the Yankees' four world championship teams from 1996 through 2000 and is 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 35 postseason starts.

And Pettitte is still adding to his credentials. He lasted seven innings for the third time in three starts Tuesday and has a 2.53 ERA with just two walks in 21 1/3 innings. Perhaps he'll add another line to his resume Sunday, when he and Rivera get their first chance at surpassing Welch and Eckersley in the record books.

YANKEES 5, A'S 3: Johnny Damon had an RBI single during a four-run second inning and added a solo homer in the sixth as the Yankees won in the Bronx. Damon, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui had two hits each, while Brett Gardner had a two-run single in the second and robbed ex-Yankee Jason Giambi of an extra-base hit with a spectacular catch in the first inning. Andy Pettitte allowed two runs in seven innings, and Mariano Rivera earned the save with a scoreless ninth.