Craig Kimbrel notches 41st save, sets MLB rookie record

By Drew SilvaAug 31, 2011, 11:07 PM EDT
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Congratulations are in order for Craig Kimbrel.

According to beat writer Chris Cox of MLB.com, the hard-throwing rookie closer recorded his 41st save of the season in Wednesday night’s 3-1 win over the Nationals, setting a major league rookie record.

Rangers closer Neftali Feliz tallied 40 saves in 2010 as a rookie. Kazuhiro Sasaki, who had 37 saves in 2000 for the Mariners, held the mark before that.

Kimbrel, 23, boasts a sparkling 1.64 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 107/25 K/BB ratio in 65 2/3 innings this season. He hasn’t allowed a run — earned or unearned — since July 11 and hasn’t blown a save since June 8.

Barring a September collapse, Kimbrel looks to be favorite for the National League Rookie of the Year award. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, owner of an .819 OPS, should also draw a good amount of votes.

Red Sox end Astros’ 10-game winning streak

Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
By Bill BaerMay 19, 2019, 7:20 PM EDT
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The Red Sox salvaged the final game of their three-game home series against the Astros, winning 4-3 on Sunday afternoon. In doing so, they ended the Astros’ 10-game winning streak.

Xander Bogaerts struck the decisive blow, knocking in a run with a double in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie. Michael Chavis also hit another homer — his eighth of the season — while Mookie Betts collected three hits and scored three runs to raise his OPS to .899.

The Astros last lost on May 7 against the Royals, the second game of a three-game series. The Astros won the final game of that set, then swept the Rangers in a four-game series, the Tigers in three, and won the first two games against the Red Sox. It’s their second 10-game winning streak of the season, as they won 10 striaght between April 5-16, sweeping the Athletics, Yankees, and Mariners before losing the second of two games against the A’s in Oakland.

At 31-16, the Astros are slightly behind the Twins — in progress as of this writing — for the best winning percentage in the majors. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have made up some ground after ending April 13-17. They’re now 24-22, good for third place in the AL East.