Perfect relay home thwarts Rays’ rally

BALTIMORE — With 43 straight saves under his belt, Orioles closer Zach Britton put his perfect mark in the hands of his defense Friday. The O’s fielders delivered with a perfect relay to throw out the potential tying run at the plate for the final out of a 5-4 win over the Rays.

Rays shortstop Alexei Ramirez lined a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line, and the Rays sent Mikie Mahtook from first. While Mahtook went first to home in 10.1 seconds — the Rays’ fifth-fastest first-to-home time of the season per Statcast™ — the Orioles used two strong throws to nab him at the plate. Left fielder Michael Bourn hit Manny Machado, who fired a strike to catcher Matt Wieters.

“It was just a great play all around by Manny on the throw and Wieters with the tag,” Britton said. “He does that probably better than anybody in the game …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com