NEW YORK — Mariano Rivera said goodbye to Yankee Stadium with hugs, tears and cheers.

Baseball’s most acclaimed relief pitcher made an emotional exit in his final appearance in the Yankees’ home pinstripes, when captain Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte came to the mound to remove him with two outs in the ninth inning Thursday night.

“It’s time to go,” Jeter appeared to tell Rivera.

During four minutes of thunderous chanting from the sellout crowd, an overcome Rivera sobbed as he buried his head on the shoulder of Pettitte, who also is retiring when the season ends Sunday, and then hugged Jeter.

“I was bombarded with emotions and feelings,” Rivera said. “Everything hit. I knew that’s the last time. Period.”

Said Pettitte: “I could feel him crying on me.”