Oakland Athletics closer Grant Balfour set franchise history Monday night by netting his 41st consecutive save, besting Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley's two-decade-old record.
Grant Balfour nets 41st consecutive save, sets Oakland A’s record
The Aussie closer passed Dennis Eckersley’s mark by shutting down the Pirates Monday night.
Justin K. Aller
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The 35-year-old Balfour's record-breaking save was somewhat suspense-less, as the right-hander shut down the Pittsburgh Pirates in order in the ninth with a pop out and two fly ball outs. Balfour has converted all 23 of his save chances so far this season -- 18 of which have come with one-run leads -- and has not blown a save opportunity since April 29, 2012.
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Suspended? That was SO last year. The right-hander told Jane Lee of MLB.com that he is “very happy” to hold the record, but that knows he can’t stop now:
“I can’t let up. I’ve got a season to keep pitching in, and I want a lot more. I want to keep winning. I feel like we’re doing good things here, and I enjoy playing here a lot. I just want to keep it going.”
Balfour's streak is somewhat misleading -- he earned an extra-inning loss in Seattle three weeks ago but happened to enter when the game was tied -- but it is what it is. The Aussie right-hander is still less than halfway to Eric Gagne's MLB record of 84 consecutive saves, but is now tied with three others for the sixth-longest save streak in baseball history.
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