BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Jamie Baker spared Britain from a whitewash in their Davis Cup first-round tie against Argentina after defeating Agustin Calleri 7-6 6-4 in the final dead rubber on Sunday.

Argentina, runners-up in 2006, had already secured their place in the quarter-finals on Saturday after taking a 3-0 winning lead but fell one match short of completing a rout.

Jose Acasuso extended Argentina's lead to 4-0 earlier on Sunday, defeating Alex Bogdanovic 7-5 7-5 in the first reverse singles.

Acasuso fought back from behind in both sets but converted his first match point to seal the win in one hour 34 minutes.

Baker had been expected to surrender in similar fashion as he was ranked 194 places below the 41st-ranked Calleri.

However, he proved that he could last the distance on the Argentine's favoured red clay surface and emerged triumphant after firing a service winner on the two hour mark.

In the absence of British number one Andy Murray, world number 188 Bogdanovic was the highest-ranked Briton in Buenos Aires.

Argentina will host Sweden in the last eight tie in April. Britain will aim to preserve their World Group status in a relegation playoff in September.

(Writing by Pritha Sarkar in London; editing by Miles Evans)