Showalter's glowing praise for his closer (plus game update)

TORONTO - To say the least, Orioles closer Zach Britton has set the bar sky high. He went 2-1 with an ERA of 0.54 last year and saved 47 games in 47 chances.

His current saves streak - which has reached 54 in a row - is tied with Tom Gordon for the second-best in baseball history. They trail only Eric Gagne, who saved 84 in a row from 2002-2004.

Britton was so good last year that he allowed one earned after April. From May 1 to the end of the regular season, he allowed one earned run over 58 games and 57 innings for an ERA of 0.16.

Yes, this is incredible. The bar is high. So when Britton has back-to-back shaky saves, fans wonder what is wrong. He's been that good. Manager Buck Showalter reminded us today just how great Britton has been for his team, even if he actually gives up a run, as he did last night.

"He has set a standard that I don't think you'll see again in your lifetime," Showalter said. "It won't happen. I tend to try and enjoy it and realize how lucky I am to watch it rather than critique it every night. If the fans and people think they have high expectations for him, well they're not higher than Zach Britton, I can tell you that.

"Think about that standard you have to live up. Not live up to. He doesn't have to. That is where the support of his peers. Everyone in that clubhouse knows how hard it is to do what he's done. I don't think anybody is our game is going to ever match what he did last year and continues to do this year.

"I just hope everybody knows we're seeing historic pitching. He's getting everybody's best shot. When hitters go up there playing with house money, they have nothing to lose. Everyone expects them to fail."

Pitching the ninth and getting those last three tough outs is challenging. Few have met that challenge better that the Orioles' All-Star closer.

"That's a different inning," Showalter said. "If you don't think it's a different inning, you haven't been around many major league games. He's going to have a potential save that he is not going to be able to execute. I don't even call it a blown save. You can't blow something you don't have. You have to earn it. We still like him."

Asher's debut: Alec Asher has gotten off to a good start in his first Orioles start. The right-hander pitched out of a two-on two-out jam in the last of the first. He got Troy Tulowitzki to pop out on his 14th pitch of the inning.

He then threw a 1-2-3 second inning on 11 pitches and struck out both Chris Coghlan and Jarrod Saltalamacchia looking.

The Orioles left five runners on base, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position in their first three at-bats today.

Asher through six: Asher allowed just two singles and no runs through the sixth of a 0-0 game. That is one solid debut. Asher is at 84 pitches with one walk and a career high five strikeouts.

The Orioles have not scored through the seventh. They've left eight runners on today, going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Asher was on the mound to start the Toronto seventh.

Toronto gets lead: The Blue Jays scored the game's first run on pinch-hitter Darwin Barney's single to center off Donnie Hart in the seventh. The run was charged to Asher. His final line: 6 1/3 innings, three hits, one run, one walk and five strikeouts. He threw 93 pitches. The Orioles will need to rally to take him off the hook for a loss.