"For a long while after Thursday afternoon's game, a jovial Mariano Rivera lobbed Whiffle balls to one of Rafael Soriano's sons - a lanky right-handed hitter who delighted in taking hefty hacks against the Yankees' iconic closer.

That was part of the fun of the Yankees' annual family picnic at the Stadium.

Pinch-hitter Russell Branyan already had taken his best shot at Rivera, launching a three-run homer to draw the Angels within a run in Thursday's ninth inning.

Rivera calmly got the final two outs to secure a 6-5 victory, though he hardly was satisfied after a third straight humbling appearance nevertheless resulted in his 30th save of the season.

"Lately, I haven't done [my job]," Rivera said of Sunday's blown save at Boston, Tuesday's loss against the Angels and Thursday's first-pitch homer to Branyan. "Games like this make me upset because I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing.

"I'm not happy."

Manager Joe Girardi was much more forgiving after the Yankees (71-45) had taken two of three games against the troublesome Angels (64-54)."