Britton stays perfect with 42nd save

BOSTON -- Orioles closer Zach Britton has allowed four earned runs all year, and the lefty continued to strengthen his consideration for the American League Cy Young Award in picking up his 42nd save during Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Red Sox.
Britton, the only reliever in the Majors who has a 100 percent save conversion rate, recorded four outs at Fenway Park. Already the American League leader in saves, Britton lowered his ERA to an impressive 0.62 in 58 1/3 innings.
"You run out of things to describe what he's done for us this year and last," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Britton. "To go out there in the ninth inning and go three up, three down, the top of their order, on the road, that's hard to do."
After giving up an eighth-inning single to his first batter, Jackie Bradley Jr., Britton got Sandy León to ground out to strand a pair of runners. He navigated through a 1-2-3 ninth, picking up a strikeout of Xander Bogaerts en route to sealing the series-evening win.
"I think it's almost like an acquired taste," Britton, who has had three of his four multi-inning saves comes against Boston, said of pitching at Fenway Park. "I think the more you come and pitch here, the more comfortable you get. You don't let the big crowd kind of distract you."
Britton highlighted 3 2/3 scoreless innings from the Orioles' bullpen, and he is now tied for the third-longest streak in a single campaign in baseball history.
"It's very impressive. Every time he comes in you feel like the game's over," Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold said of Britton. "He can come in and get out of tough situations, come in in the eighth and finish up. Watching him has been very impressive and fun to watch."