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Familia joins elite club with 50th straight save

Eric Espada / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jeurys Familia became just the fourth pitcher in major-league history to convert 50 consecutive regular-season save chances Friday after navigating through a rough ninth inning to help the New York Mets defeat the Miami Marlins 5-3 in their series opener.

Familia's league-leading 34th save of the season moved him within one of Jose Valverde's streak from 2010-11, and four away from matching Tom Gordon's run during the 1998-99 seasons. Former Dodgers closer Eric Gagne holds on the all-time record with 84 straight saves from 2002-2004.

An All-Star for the first time this season, Familia leads the majors in games finished (44) while sporting a 2.58 ERA over 45 1/3 innings. Until Friday, the Dominican right-hander, whose streak dates back to Aug. 1, 2015, hadn't allowed a run since June 4.

Last year, in his first season as the Mets' closer, Familia finished a league-high 65 games, converting 43 of those for saves and fashioning a career-best 1.85 ERA.

"He continues to do it," manager Terry Collins told MLB.com's Patrick Pinak. "He's done an outstanding job. He's had a great year. He's had a great two years, really."

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