Britton pulls escape act for 50th straight save

Orioles closer Zach Britton pitched his way into the record books Wednesday night, becoming the fifth reliever in Major League history to convert 50 consecutive saves as Baltimore bested the Blue Jays, 3-1, at Camden Yards.
Britton's first save of the season didn't come easy, as the Blue Jays loaded the bases against him in the ninth. José Bautista and Kendrys Morales opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and, after Britton fanned Troy Tulowitzki, Russell Martin loaded the bags by drawing a walk.
But Britton extinguished the late threat, inducing an inning-ending double play against his former O's teammate, Steve Pearce. The Blue Jays finished the night 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, furthering an early-season trend for the Toronto lineup.

Britton can tie Jose Valverde for fourth if he converts his next save opportunity. He has a ways to go to reach the Major League record, however; it's held by former All-Star closer Eric Gagne at 84 straight (2002-04).
Britton's streak dates back two seasons to his last blown save against the Rays on Sept. 20, 2015. He owns a 0.36 ERA with 49 strikeouts against 14 walks over that span.