In baseball statistics, save is the successful keeping of a lead by a relief pitcher until the end of the game. A save is credited to a pitcher who fulfills the following three conditions:

1. The pitcher is the last pitcher in a game won by his team;
2. The pitcher is not the winning pitcher (For instance, if a starting pitcher throws a complete game win or, alternatively, if the pitcher gets a blown save and then his team scores a winning run while he is the pitcher of record, sometimes known as a "vulture win.");
3. The pitcher fulfills at least one of the following three conditions:
1. He comes into the game with a lead of no more than three runs.
2. He comes into the game with the potential tying run being either on base, at bat, or on deck
3. He pitches effectively for at least three innings after entering the game with a lead and finishes the game.

If the pitcher surrenders the lead at any point, he cannot get a save, even if his team comes back to win. No more than one save may be credited in each game. If a relief pitcher satisfies all of the criteria for a save, except he does not finish the game, he will often be credited with a hold.

The third rule can be contentious, as it is subject to the judgment of the official scorer.

The last criterion in that rule can lead to ludicrous results. On August 22, 2007, the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 30 to 3. The winning pitcher, Kason Gabbard, pitched 6 innings, and left the game with a 14-3 lead. The Rangers' relief pitcher, Wes Littleton, pitched three scoreless innings, while his team went on to score another 16 runs, including 6 runs in the 9th inning. In return for protecting his team's lead for the last three innings, Littleton was awarded a "save."