MILWAUKEE — Having just blown his consecutive saves streak and getting ready to rush to the hospital with his pregnant wife going into early labor, Milwaukee Brewers closer John Axford took a few seconds to scribble a note to reporters explaining why he wasn’t around to take questions.

At first, Axford said he was just trying to cheer himself up. When he finally got home, he realized he had caused a social media sensation.

“I didn’t think it was going to be that big of a deal,” Axford said Sunday morning. “I think originally, I just wanted to make myself smile a little bit, too. Right after I came in I was obviously pretty upset. But literally, once I got in the locker room and the inning finished, Tony, the clubhouse manager, said, `Hey, your wife’s outside and needs to talk to you.’ So my attitude changed immediately, and I realized there’s more to life than what just happened out there on the field.”

Axford’s blown save against the Chicago Cubs on Friday night halted a streak of 49 consecutive saves — the fourth-longest streak in major league history. The Brewers went on to win 8-7 in 13 innings, but Axford didn’t stick around to see it.

His wife, Nicole, was sitting in the stands and began having contractions. Axford said she is 33 weeks into her pregnancy, and had a similar issue around the 29-week mark with the couple’s first son, J.B.

Her doctor happened to be sitting in the stands about 10 rows away Friday, and recommended that they go to the hospital after a brief examination at the ballpark.