Yankee Stadium closes with N.Y. win

NEW YORK, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Baseball's most legendary field, New York's Yankee Stadium, finished its 85-year run Sunday as the sport's cathedral with a 7-3 Yankees win over Baltimore.

The stadium opened in 1923 and has been the scene of 23 world championships for the New York Yankees, with a new stadium is set to open next door in 2009. Sunday's game had the feeling of a World Series contest, with bunting along the upper deck and the feeling that the Yankees had to win, The New York Times reported.

The first home run hit in the stadium came in 1923 by Babe Ruth, from whom the stadium got its nickname, "The House that Ruth Built." Its last home run was hit by Yankees catcher Jose Molina.

Pitcher Andy Pettitte worked into the sixth inning and picked up the victory.

"The way I feel emotionally right now, and just physically so drained, it feels like a huge postseason win for us," Pettitte told the Times. "I kind of feel embarrassed saying that, because unless a miracle happens, we're not going to the postseason. But it was special."