Blown save in the 6th inning?

[jakelauer]

I was looking at Neal Cotts' statistics, and I noticed he managed to get a blown save without giving up a run. I thought that seemed a little weird, so I looked at the game log, and he came into the game during the sixth inning and surrendered runs to Marquis' baserunners. Why in the world did he get a blown save for that?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=280529116

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/player...?playerId=5644 (May 29)

[ipitch]

Well, that's the rule. He entered in a save situation, and allowed the tying run to score.

[jakelauer]

How is that a save situation? From wikipedia:

[QUOTE]
...the official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four of the following conditions:

1. He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team
2. He is not the winning pitcher
3. He is credited with at least ⅓ of an inning pitched
4. He satisfies one of the following conditions:
---1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning
---2. He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck
---3. He pitches for at least three innings

[ipitch]

I guess I should say he entered in a *potential* save situation. After all, had he pitched better (and longer) he would have gotten the save.

[rockin500]

How is that a save situation? From wikipedia:

...the official scorer shall credit a pitcher with a save when such pitcher meets all four of the following conditions:

1. He is the finishing pitcher in a game won by his team
2. He is not the winning pitcher
3. He is credited with at least ⅓ of an inning pitched
4. He satisfies one of the following conditions:
---1. He enters the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning
---2. He enters the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, at bat or on deck
---3. He pitches for at least three innings

the potential save situation occurs anytime after the 5th inning (if the starter is the pitcher of record).

so he is clearly qualified to get the blown save for that situation since he entered the game with a lead after the starter had gone 5 innings and the previous pitcher was the pitcher of record. So it automatically counts as a potential save situation.

[Lipsander]

Why have I not heard of this before? I've been watching baseball religiously for over 20 years.