"From last year, I keep a lot of confidence in myself," Rivera said. "I can throw with no doubts. I just do my job."

Rivera's penchant for denying hits began April 22 with three scoreless innings in Kansas City. Rivera then wriggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out situation against the Twins here Friday en route another three hitless innings.

Yesterday, Rivera, who entered in the sixth, struck out Dave Hollins, Roberto Kelly, Ron Coomer and Pat Meares consecutively. The only sign of mortality was when he walked Chuck Knoblauch with two outs in the seventh. After inducing the Twins to hit into three grounders in the eighth (one off his right leg near the knee), the uninjured and unperturbed Rivera left to rave reviews.

"We're finding things out," said Yankee Manager Joe Torre, who praised Rivera's increasing aggressiveness. "Only one day off with three innings the other day, it was big for us. We're knowing him a little bit more. If we don't have to use him as many innings, he may be able to work on a regular basis for us."

Rivera had held the game in check for the Yankees, who had led thanks to first-inning run-scoring singles by Tino Martinez and Bernie Williams, but trailed after four. The Twins had seized the lead when Hollins hit a two-run home run and Pat Meares a two-out run-scoring double against Yankee starter Jimmy Key in the fourth.

The only thing that stood in the way of an even bigger Twin lead was O'Neill, who made a leap up and into the right-field wall to rob Paul Molitor of a home run two batters before Hollins's home run. "I knew he hit it well," O'Neill said. "I just wanted to get back to the wall. It was windy out there. I was lucky to get into position."

Key, coming back from shoulder surgery, gave the Yankees one more inning before retiring because of tightness. "I did what I could to try to keep it as loose as I could," said Key, who received heat treatments between innings. "It's just another day on the road. I'm just going to have to try to stay patient. I'm not worried. I would be if I felt pain, but I don't."