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Zach Britton, Orioles closer, making case for Cy Young Award

When the Washington Nationals repeatedly put runners on base Wednesday night, then kept failing to score, the sense that they were running out of time was amplified by Zach Britton sitting in the Baltimore Orioles’ bullpen.

The left-handed Britton has deployed his power sinker this season to heartbreaking and statistically stunning success. It’s a 96-mph pitch that he throws 92.2 percent of the time. The Orioles closer could well shout to the batter what is coming. It just does not matter.

Entering Wednesday, Britton had allowed three earned runs this season, all in April. The Nationals scored against him when Bryce Harper charged home during a too-late rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, snapping an almost four-month spotless run.