NEW YORK — His pregame tribute ended by a storm, Alex Rodriguez soaked in repeated cheers during his final game in pinstripes, getting one more hit for the New York Yankees and returning to third base one last time.

On a night filled with nostalgia as the Yankees and Rodriguez turn to uncertain futures, baseball’s most notorious star of the last two decades drove a 96 mph fastball from Tampa Bay’s Chris Archer into the right-center field gap in the first inning of New York’s 6-3 win Friday.

And with the sellout crowd of 46,459 chanting “We want A-Rod!” the 41-year-old designated hitter trotted to third base for the first time in 15 months at the start of the ninth inning as the organist played “Thanks for Memory.”

He was replaced after a leadoff strikeout, hugging his teammates as fans, many of whom never warmed to a player who served a year-long drug suspension, applauded in respect if not devotion.

Rodriguez raised his cap and then his arm before walking into the dugout, sitting down and holding a white towel to his face as he tried to hold back tears.

A-Rod ran back on the field for more hugs after the final out, grabbing a handful of dirt from the infield.

“This is a night I’ll never forget,” he said,

Moments later, manager Joe Girardi was teary-eyed talking about the entire evening.

“If this is the last game he plays, I wanted it to be something he never forgot,” he said.

Rodriguez had clapped as he came out of the batter’s box and pumped both arms in triumph as he reached second base without a throw in the first against Chris Archer.

Rodriguez said he saw Archer before the game and kidded him, telling the Rays right-hander, “Take it easy on the old man.”

After ending an 0-for-11 slide, Rodriguez grounded out, struck out and bounced out again on the first pitch in his last at-bat. The 1-for-4 night left him with a .200 average, 9 homers and 31 RBIs in his 12th and final Yankees season.