Red Sox Closer Aroldis Chapman Dominates wiht Four Strikeouts in one Inning
BOSTON – Aroldis Chapman delivered a dominant performance Sunday, striking out four batters in a single inning to secure his 29th save for the Boston Red Sox. The veteran closer’s outing included a strikeout of Arizona Diamondbacks’ Jordan Lawlar and marked the second time this season a pitcher has achieved four strikeouts in an inning,joining St. Louis Cardinals’ Steven Matz, who accomplished the feat in June.
Chapman’s continued success is especially noteworthy as he continues to redefine his pitching approach, blending his historic velocity with increased craftiness. The 16-year veteran has allowed just six earned runs all season, lowering his ERA to 0.98 with Sunday’s performance. He’s currently riding a 17-appearance streak – spanning 14 innings – without allowing a hit,the third-longest such streak as 1901.
Known for his overpowering fastball, Chapman holds the record for the fastest pitch in MLB history at 105.8 mph, thrown during his 2010 rookie season, and eight of the nine fastest pitches ever recorded. However, he’s increasingly relied on locating effective sliders and splitters to baffle opposing hitters.
“He’s so nasty, and showing peopel he can still do a lot of grate things,” said Red Sox starter Brayan Bello.
Chapman, speaking through an interpreter, emphasized his simple approach: “My mentality is to go get three outs and go for a strikeout.”
