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Power vs. power: Red Sox closer beat by slugger in game with low margin of error for pitchers
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- Power vs. power: Red Sox closer beat by slugger in game with low margin of error for pitchers
BOSTON — Red Sox fans at Fenway Park witnessed a true power vs. power matchup in the ninth inning with closer Aroldis Chapman facing Padres slugger Fernando Tatis Jr.
Chapman ranked in the 98th percentile in average fastball velocity (98.8 mph) last year while Tatis ranked in the 95th percentile in average exit velocity (93.3 mph).
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Tatis won this battle.
Chapman recorded two quick outs on six pitches to begin the inning with the score tied, 2-2. But the fireballer then allowed a 371-foot, 113.5 mph line drive double to Tatis and a go-ahead RBI single to Ramón Laureano .
The Red Sox lost 3-2 to San Diego to drop to 2-6.
“Everybody knows how good of a player he is and the type of player that he is,” Chapman said about Tatis through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez.
Tatis’ double was a rocket but center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela seemed to misread it slightly. Rafaela initially moved in, and the ball sailed over his head. It had a 60% catch probability.
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“Played well today,” manager Alex Cora said. “We had two outs, two strikes in the ninth. Tie game. So it wasn’t a bad game for my end.”
The pitching wasn’t the issue. The hitting was the problem again . Boston is averaging 3.0 runs per game.
That leaves their pitchers with a low margin of error like Saturday, when Chapman and starter Connelly Early didn’t perform well enough.
Tatis connected on a 98.5 mph sinker that Chapman left near the middle of the zone.
“It was a good at-bat,” Chapman said. “He put a good swing on that fastball in the middle and it was a good at-bat.”
Chapman then hung a splitter to Laureano.
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“He was able to make the adjustment and make contact,” Chapman said.
Cora said before the game that left fielder Roman Anthony has been working on his footwork to help his throws be stronger and more accurate . Anthony had a chance to throw out Tatis in the ninth, but Tatis scored from second on Laureano’s single.
“I thought that was much better,” Cora said. “He got the angle. I know the ball tailed. I was talking to Huddy (outfield instructor Kyle Hudson) and there was more conviction behind it. That was really good.”
Early, meanwhile, wasn’t as sharp as in his season debut last Sunday in Cincinnati .
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The 24-year-old rookie struggled with his command. He pitched four innings and allowed two runs, three hits and four walks while striking out four. He threw 88 pitches, landing 60.2% for strikes.
“Inconsistent. You saw the walks,” Cora said. “But he battled through it, gave us four and the bullpen did a good job.”
Early induced 11 swings and misses with five against his changeup. His fastball topped out at 94.8 mph and averaged 93.0 mph.
“Today just didn’t have the best command of my stuff,” Early said.
It was a cold day and Early said he had some trouble.
“I struggled getting the grip on the ball a little bit,” Early said. “But I’ve got to do a better job with figuring out how to keep my hand warm and need to go out there and be able to execute from pitch one.”
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