Derek Jeter Goes Out in Style: Packed House, Rainbow, Walk-Off Single [PHOTOS & VIDEO]

Thursday night's performance in the Bronx is the stuff legends are made of. It started with a rainbow and ended with a waterfall of (happy) tears for New York Yankees fans.

Derek Jeter hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles to bring his Yankees to a 6-5 victory, and his Yankee Stadium career to a triumphant close, in front of a sellout crowd.

With the game tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jeter singled to right field, driving home Antoan Richardson for an ending even Broadway couldn't have scripted better.

As he tossed his bat aside and jumped for joy, there wasn't a dry eye in the house, except - astonishingly - for Jeter's.

When asked by the YES network what was going through his head at the plate, he said, "Don't cry."

It was an emotional night for sure, from start to finish.

As the first pitch was set to be thrown, the day's rainy skies cleared and a rainbow appeared, setting the stage for an epic night.

As Jeter approached the plate for his first at-bat, he received a minute-long standing ovation.

"I want to thank everyone here," he said later. "Everyone is chanting, 'Thank you Derek.' I'm thinking, 'For what?' I just want to thank you guys."

Jeter collected himself and immediately put the Yankees on the board, launching a fly ball high off the left-field wall - inches from being a home run - to bring Brett Gardner home.

"To be honest with you, I don't know how I played in this game," Jeter told YES. "I went up for my first at-bat and I forgot my elbow guard. I was giving signs to Drew at second base, and there was no one on base. I was all messed up."

Still, he wouldn't have changed a thing.

"This was a lot of fun," he said.

What will he miss the most?

"Everything. But most importantly I'm going to miss the fans. They are what made this special."

Jeter and the Yanks have three games remaining in Boston against the Red Sox this weekend. He will close out his career for good on Sunday in Fenway Park.