Aroldis Chapman’s Historic Dominance Ends in A’s Walk-Off Loss

The Boston Red Sox took a gut-punch 5-4 walk-off loss to the Oakland Athletics in West Sacramento. The bigger headline, though, was watching Aroldis Chapman’s insane run of dominance finally hit a wall.

Chapman hadn’t given up a single hit or run since late July. That wild streak ended when Oakland’s Shea Langeliers ripped a double in the ninth, setting up the Athletics for a game-winning rally.

A Historic Run Comes to an End

Chapman retired 50 consecutive batters without giving up a hit. That kind of stretch puts him in some pretty exclusive company.

He logged 17 straight hitless appearances, joining Randy Choate (20) and Tim Byrdak (18) for the longest such runs in MLB history. But Chapman faced more batters — 49 in total — and still held the line until Oakland broke through.

Dominating the Strike Zone

Over those 14.2 innings, Chapman looked untouchable. He only walked four and struck out 21, putting up a wild 0.273 WHIP and dropping his ERA to 0.98.

He even had a four-strikeout inning against Arizona, thanks to a wild pitch that let a hitter reach after striking out. That inning really showed off his ridiculous fastball and nasty off-speed stuff.

The Breaking Point Against Oakland

On Wednesday, Chapman came in for the ninth with the game tied, hoping to keep the streak alive. Langeliers’ double snapped the no-hit run, then a sacrifice fly tied things up.

Lawrence Butler followed with a walk-off single, and that was it. Chapman’s command slipped for just a moment, but that’s all it takes at this level.

Numbers Behind the Greatness

That 17-game hitless streak was wild, but even more impressive was how steady Chapman stayed. In his 61 appearances this season before Oakland, he’d only allowed a run seven times — and never more than one in any outing.

• 17 consecutive hitless appearances – third-longest streak in MLB history
• 0.273 WHIP during the stretch
• 21 strikeouts in 14.2 innings
• 1.14 ERA after Wednesday’s game
• Never allowed more than one run in a game this season

ERA Still Among the Best

Even after the rough night in West Sacramento, Chapman’s ERA barely budged from 0.98 to 1.14. That’s still elite territory for any reliever.

Keeping a sub-1.00 ERA into September is almost unheard of these days, with how tough hitters are and how often closers get used. The fact that Chapman came this close just shows how lights-out he’s been all year.

Looking Ahead to October

The Boston Red Sox know October baseball hits differently. Having Chapman at the back of the bullpen could be what tips the scale in those tense postseason games.

His streak may have ended, but honestly, nobody’s lost faith in his ability to shut down hitters. The manager and his teammates still believe he’ll bring that same electricity to the mound when it counts most.

The regular season’s winding down. Every pitch, out, and save feels heavier now.

Chapman’s challenge? Move on from that wild streak and lock in for games that might decide the Red Sox’s playoff fate. If he looks anything like he has lately, Boston fans have plenty to get excited about.

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