Precision and power: Boston’s Aroldis Chapman still dominating at 37

PHOENIX AP Aroldis Chapman has a reputation as a power pitcher built through years of routinely popping mph on the radar gun As Boston Red Sox closer has gotten older the -year-old added craftiness to the power baffling hitters by locating sliders and splitters that leave them flailing The combination led to a rare four-strikeout contest against the Arizona Diamondbacks and one of the the bulk dominating runs by a reliever in baseball history This is special mentioned Boston manager Alex Cora who earned his th career win with Sunday s - win over the Diamondbacks To do it at this age and where we re at as an industry as far as the hitters and the adjustments they make it s unreal Chapman began his career in Cincinnati popping an eyes and gloves with a fastball that topped out at mph during his rookie season in still the fastest pitch in MLB history He continued to throw baseballs at race-car speeds clocking eight of the nine fastest pitches in baseball history including mph last season Nicknamed the Cuban Missile Chapman may be better than ever in his first season in Boston earning his eighth All-Star appearance and a million one-year contract for signed last week Chapman has been unhittable since mid-July as the Diamondbacks uncovered out on Sunday Leading - after a late rally Cora sent Chapman to close it out and he did it with a flourish joining elite company by striking out four in the ninth inning for his th save Arizona s Ildemaro Vargas reached first after striking out on a wild pitch then Champan closed it out by striking out Jordan Lawler to become the second pitcher four Ks in an inning this season with St Louis Steven Matz in June It s just something that happened Chapman mentioned through an interpreter My mentality is to go get three outs and go for a strikeout Chapman has certainly been getting the outs Locating his off-speed pitches with the plus- -mph fastball Chapman has gone straight appearances spanning innings without allowing a hit dating to July It s the third-longest streak since trailing only the straight by Florida s Randy Choate in and consecutive by Tim Byrdak of the New York Mets in Chapman has allowed one earned run in his last games a solo homer by Philadelphia s J T Realmuto on July and retired straight batters before Vargas reached on the wild pitch Sunday He s allowed six earned runs all season and dropped his ERA to with Sunday s performance He s so nasty and showing people he can still do a lot of great things Boston starter Brayan Bello explained through an interpreter Chapman has proved it all season leaving flailing hitters in his wake with precision to go with that power AP MLB https apnews com hub mlb