Chapman delivers with hits large and small vs. Braves
ATLANTA -- Matt Chapman found himself on the extreme ends of the exit velocity spectrum on Thursday night.
Chapman smoked a go-ahead home run in the fourth inning and then knocked in a key insurance run with a check-swing double to help the Giants secure their third consecutive series victory with a 4-2 win over the Braves on the Fourth of July at Truist Park.
The Giants trailed, 2-0, after the Braves nicked starter Logan Webb for a pair of runs in the first inning, but they erased the deficit after Heliot Ramos launched a game-tying, two-run homer off Charlie Morton in the fourth.
Ramos’ 12th blast of the year briefly gave him sole possession of the team lead in homers, but Chapman matched him only two batters later, crushing a first-pitch cutter out to left-center field to give the Giants a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Chapman’s solo shot rocketed off his bat at 111 mph, making it the hardest-hit ball of the night for San Francisco.
Chapman’s second hit, by contrast, had an exit velocity of 78.1 mph and a launch angle of -25 degrees, as he tried to check his swing on an inside fastball from Morton and ended up shooting the ball just inside the first-base line for an RBI double in the sixth.
“To be able to get that one down the line today, it evened out a little bit,” said Chapman, who was twice robbed of extra bases by Braves center fielder Jarred Kelenic in Tuesday’s series opener. “I probably still need a couple more of them. But to hit one out felt good. That’s a really good pitcher on the mound. It gave us a little bit more of a cushion there, so that was big.”
Chapman has been a bit streaky at the plate in his first season with the Giants, but he’s found a nice rhythm over his last 10 games, going 14-for-38 (.368) with eight extra-base hits and 12 RBIs to boost his OPS to .751 on the season.
“I’m feeling good,” Chapman said. “I made a little adjustment, just trying to get ready a little bit earlier. Just be short, be quick to the baseball. These guys throw hard. Just trying to give myself more opportunity to be on time, get good swings off. I feel like it’s really been working. I’ve been able to be on time and have some success. I just want to keep it rolling and help this team down the stretch.”
The four-time Gold Glove winner also flashed his elite defense in the fourth, when he helped the Giants nail his former A’s teammate, Matt Olson, at the plate with a perfectly executed relay throw. Olson reached on a leadoff walk and tried to score from first on Austin Riley’s double to left field, but Chapman received a throw from Michael Conforto and then fired a 94.1 mph, one-hop bullet to catcher Patrick Bailey, who applied the tag on Olson as he attempted to slide across home plate.
“When we were in Oakland, we tried to get it in [Chapman’s] hands as much as we possibly could,” manager Bob Melvin said. “I guarantee you Oly knew that the ball was going to be in Chappy’s hands. He’s seen that a lot before. Absolutely perfect throw. Big hop for Patty on the right side of the plate to get a quick tag down. Originally when it was hit, I didn’t think we were going to have a chance at it, but I’ve seen him do that a lot.”
The run-saving play helped Webb settle in after the first inning, as he was charged with only two runs on seven hits over seven innings. The 27-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.09 over a Major League-high 119 1/3 innings this year, which could earn him his first career All-Star selection when reserves are announced on Sunday. Unlike last year, Webb isn’t lined up to pitch the Giants’ first-half finale on July 14, which should only help bolster his case to attend the Midsummer Classic in Arlington.
“We certainly think he’s an All-Star,” Melvin said. “They got a couple of runs in the first and then he was just dialed in command-wise and reading swings and doing what he does.”
After losing five in a row to end a dismal road trip through Chicago, Birmingham and St. Louis, the Giants (43-45) have now won seven of their last 10 games and taken series from the Cubs, Dodgers and Braves. They’re back within two games of .500 and will continue to push toward that mark as they head to Cleveland to kick off their final road series of the first half on Friday.
“I think it just gives our team confidence to know that no matter if we have guys injured or who’s in this room, we believe in them and we know that we can compete with anybody,” Chapman said. “We’ve just got to keep doing our thing and playing our game.”