Since 1975, to record save a pitcher must do one of the following:
- Enter the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitch at least one inning.
- Enter the game with the tying run in the on-deck circle, at the plate or on the bases.
- Pitch at least three innings
Based on the second parameter, if a pitcher enters the game in the 9th inning, the largest possible lead a team can have leading to a save is five runs (bases loaded).
Last night, Cade Smith became the eighth pitcher in team history to record a save in a 5-run victory (excluding those that did so under the three-inning rule).
Here’s the list (* indicates those who faced only one batter):
Smith is also fourth to do so while facing only one batter and the third to do so after entering the game with two outs (the most low-leverage save situation possible – Lilliquist and Farr are the other two).
Prior to saves becoming an official state, Russ Christopher also recorded a save after entering with two outs, bases loaded with a five-run lead against the Nationals in 1948.
Throughout all of team history the five-run save with one or fewer innings pitched situation has occurred 31 times. However, if you search Baseball-Reference for saves in which a team led by five or more runs you’ll see a much longer list.
From 1969-74, saves could be awarded at the discretion of the official scorer. And saves have (unofficially) been retroactively awarded to pitchers under that definition as well.
Most of those official scorer decisions make no sense at all.
For example, in 1971, Phil Hennigan was awarded a save for pitching the ninth inning of a 10-2 Cleveland victory at Boston. That’s absurd.
So while official records may disagree, I’m going to say this is the 31st time a Cleveland reliefer has recorded a save after entering in the ninth inning with a lead of five or more runs, and the fourth time is happened in the most low-leverage situation possible (entering with two outs).