Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks tied a league record tonight for cumulative batters consecutively retired. According to this ESPN.com article, Jenks "has retired 38 straight batters, tying David Wells' American League record set in 1998 with the New York Yankees. It's the fourth-longest streak in major league history."

Update 1: The streak is now at 41 straight batters retired, tying the major-league record.

Update 2: Brought in to close out the ninth inning of the White Sox' August 20 contest against Kansas City, Jenks was greeted with a lead-off single by the Royals' Joey Gathright (article).

Jenks thus joins -- but doesn't exceed -- former San Francisco Giant pitcher Jim Barr in retiring a major-league record 41 consecutive batters.