chance to my team to win a ballgame," Gonzalez said. "I t

After 12 tumultuous years in the Bronx, Alex Emmanuel Rodriguez played his final game in pinstripes on Friday, having helped slug the New York Yankees to one World Series title -- and helped whiff them out of eight other Octobers.Along the way, A-Rod won two American League MVP Awards and was handed a historic 211-game ban from baseball for his role in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal. In an appeals process that ultimately reduced his suspension to 162 games -- the entirety of the 2014 season -- his battle with Major League Baseball and the Yankees turned bitter.Since then, he has worked to repair the damage with his team -- which now employs him as a special adviser after serving him with his unconditional release -- and with his teams fans, who seem to root for and revile him in equal measure.With one final chance to say goodbye, ESPN.com spoke to fans on the night of A-Rods Yankee Stadium farewell. Their words painted a picture of a love-hate relationship between the tainted but talented slugger and those who followed him, both on and off the field.I came here tonight because Ive been an Alex Rodriguez fan since 1997, and I could not miss his final major league baseball game. -- Nicole Baade, SeattleA-Rod, hes just another player that will soon be forgotten. I think in a few years, hell be forgotten. Wont even be talked about. -- Junior Pagan, New YorkA lot of the hate he gets he brought upon himself, but as a fan, I root for players that face adversity. -- Louis DiLullo, Providence, Rhode IslandThe way hes retiring is just ... its sad because the guy had such a great career, and so many MVPs, and so many playoff appearances, I dont understand. Bringing in a new era is good, but you only have a little bit left of the season to finish out. -- Anthony Criscione, New YorkI was never really an A-Rod fan, to be honest. Hes been with the team for 12 years, hes given us one championship for $300 million -- I figured hed do a little bit more ... without all the drama. -- Brian Schaeffer, New YorkHes still a Yankee. A-Rod is A-Rod, Theres only one like him, whether they say its because of steroids, whatever the case may be, he still did his thing for the Bronx and the Yankees. I support him no matter what. Hes a Bronx Bomber. -- Bee, New YorkI mean, hands down, hes one of our favorite players, and its crazy that hes retiring tonight. -- Aidan Sheehan, also pictured Liam Sheehan, Middletown, New JerseyI hope he retires! He cant come back -- everybody would hate him if he came back. He needs to be done. Hes made enough money. -- Nicole Santilli, OrlandoI think its really, like, for a Yankee fan, its a typical love-hate relationship. He catapulted the Yankees into winning the World Series, and also hes been a Yankee for [12] years. How do you not accept what hes been to us? -- David Rodriguez, New YorkI think A-Rods great, I have nothing against the man; I think hes been unfairly singled out. I think hes fantastic. -- James Jimmy Cunniff, New YorkIts very heartbreaking seeing him retire now. I felt like hes still got more left in him. It almost feels like hes being forced to retire, but Im one of his No. 1 fans and its just really tough to see. -- Joel Carrasco, New YorkHonestly, his last game is something that Ive looked forward to for a long time. -- David and Katie Finale, Carlstadt, New JerseyI feel like he shouldve played third baseman tonight. His last game ever, youre really not gonna let him play the field? It hurts, it hurts. -- Brian Anderson, New YorkIm an A-Rod fan because hes part of the Yankees. But as an individual, I think hes a talented player, but Im not an A-Rod fan, per se. Since hes gotten to the Yankees, the one ring in 2009 -- I had higher hopes for him. -- Alexis Pacheo, also pictured Daniel Pacheo and Felix Torres, New YorkHe has, over the last two years, grown on me. And my guess is hell end up in the Marlins organization at one point as a coach or part-owner or whatever, I kind of see him down there. -- Ellen Katz, Greenburgh, New YorkI dont know any Yankee fan whos ever come in here, over 16 years old, who said A-Rod was their favorite player. -- Michael Rendino, New YorkYou get a lot of hate for being an A-Rod fan, I think, from just the last few years. But when youre a true A-Rod fan, you stick with him. -- Jordan Baade, Wahoo, NebraskaIm very old-fashioned. I liked when Babe Ruth was doing everything on hot dogs and beer. -- Jason Polito, New York Brook Lopez Jersey . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. Milwaukee Bucks Jerseys . 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Oscar Robertson Jersey . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands.BALTIMORE -- The shaving cream was still glopped on Chris Dickersons head and shoulders long after the final pitch, a tell-tale indicator that the Baltimore Orioles had finally returned to celebratory mode at Camden Yards. Nate McLouth homered leading off the bottom of the 10th inning, Dickerson hit a pair of solo shots and the Orioles beat the New York Yankees 3-2 Tuesday night to snap a six-game losing streak. McLouth hit a 1-1 pitch from Vidal Nuno (1-1) into the bleachers in right-centre to give the Orioles their first win since May 12. Dickerson, who played sparingly for the Yankees in each of the past two seasons, connected off Phil Hughes in the third and fifth innings -- the first two-homer game of his career. For their efforts, McLouth and Dickerson each got a shaving cream pie from teammate Adam Jones during their postgame interviews. It was a fitting way to mark the end of a skid in which all six defeats came at home. "We really needed this win," Dickerson said. "This team continues to grind, continues to push forward even when the chips are down. Nate came up huge. This was one of those things that can turn it around." Asked if it was the best night of his baseball career, Dickerson quickly replied, "Absolutely. Under the circumstances, yeah. ... As soon as I saw the lineup card I was already fired up, just to get the opportunity to play against them. But to go out and have that result, it was awesome." Jim Johnson (2-4), who blew three save opportunities during the six-game skid, got three straight outs in the 10th. "Im just happy about the outcome of the game," Johnson said. His performance capped an exceptional effort by Orioles pitchers, who retired 21 of the last 22 New York batters. "It was nice to win, period," manager Buck Showalter said. "Anytime, regardless of yesterday and the day before. We dont get bogged down in that woe is me and this means that. Youve got to keep turning the page." Travis Hafner drove in both runs for the Yankees, who fell to 19-1 when scoring first. Dickersons role in New Yorks defeat did not go unnoticed by manager Joe Girardi. "Weve had him up a couple times and hes done some good things for us," he said. "He helped them tonightt.dddddddddddd" Hughes allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. Coming off a horrid start against Seattle in which the right-hander yielded seven runs and got only two outs, Hughes kept the Orioles in check -- except for Dickerson. "I thought he did OK," Girardi said. "He gave us a great chance to win the game." Both bullpens matched zeroes until Nuno threw his third pitch. "It was supposed to be a cutter away," the left-hander said. "It felt a little bit off and he took advantage of it. One pitch and it cost us the game. Got to forget about it and get ready to pitch tomorrow." Baltimore starter Miguel Gonzalez gave up two runs and five hits over seven innings, striking out five and walking none. The right-hander came off the disabled list before the game following an 18-day absence with a blister on his right thumb. "It was fun to be out there again after two weeks being out and giving a chance to my team to win a ballgame," Gonzalez said. "I think that was fun, especially getting ahead of guys. That was important." New York got a first-inning run when Brett Gardner doubled and scored on a two-out single by Hafner. Dickerson tied it with a drive to right-centre on a 3-2 pitch. The Yankees quickly moved back in front. Vernon Wells led off the fourth with a double and Hafner followed with an RBI single. Dickersons second homer of the game, leading off the fifth, made it 2-all. Gonzalez retired 11 straight batters before David Adams singled with two outs in the seventh. Lance Nix followed with a liner that right fielder Nick Markakis snagged with a dive. NOTES: To clear a roster spot for Gonzalez, the Orioles optioned RHP Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A Norfolk. Jurrjens started one game for Baltimore, receiving a no-decision Saturday against Tampa Bay. ...RHP Hiroki Kuroda will start for New York on Wednesday night in the finale of the three-game series. The Orioles will start Jason Hammel, who is 0-2 with a 7.79 ERA in three home starts. ... Yankees manager Joe Girardi said SS Derek Jeter (left ankle) "is not really doing anything yet" and LHP Andy Pettitte (strained trapezius muscle) has not starting throwing. ... Orioles C Matt Wieters turned 27 on Tuesday. ' ' '