Matt Chapman helps preserve Giants' 3-2 win over Angels with ugly but effective defensive play
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman throws the ball to first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman throws the ball to first base during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Matt Chapman rarely feels panicked on defense — you don't win five Gold Glove Awards and two Platinum Glove Awards by showing any fear in the field.
But that's exactly what the San Francisco Giants third baseman felt in the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday night when, with a runner on first base, one out and the Giants leading the Los Angeles Angels by a run, Logan O'Hoppe swung at a 3-0 pitch from Ryan Walker and sent a ground ball to third.
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'I got set up a little late because I was trying to fix this divot that was out there by third base,' Chapman said after the Giants' 3-2 victory. 'Walker came set super fast, so I was kind of back-pedaling. I honestly didn't think he would swing at the 3-0 pitch. Then he swung, and it was hit right at me, so I think that kind of caused a little panic.'
Chapman, who hit a two-run home run to give San Francisco a first-inning lead it would not relinquish, stumbled as he broke for the potential double-play grounder, which was hit to his left.
Chapman fell to his knees, fielded the ball cleanly and, still on his knees, made a long throw to first that barely beat O'Hoppe to keep the potential winning run off base.
'It was not that fun,' Chapman said of the sinking feeling he had when he stumbled and fell to the ground. 'I'll just call timeout the next time and tell (Walker) to step off instead of trying to take a guess that he's not gonna swing at a pitch. Luckily I was able to save it, but that could have been ugly.'
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Walker got Mike Trout, who hit solo homers in the fourth and sixth innings, to fly to the wall in left-center for the first out of the ninth before giving up a single to Jorge Soler, who was replaced by pinch runner Tim Anderson.
Anderson took second on O'Hoppe's grounder. Walker then got Nolan Schanuel to fly out to left to end the game, preserving the win for right-hander Landen Roupp, who gave up two runs and five hits, striking out a career-high nine, and walking one in seven innings to improve to 2-1.
'Nobody makes that play,' Giants manager Bob Melvin said of Chapman. 'It looks like a double-play ball off the bat, and then all of a sudden, you're hoping to get one.
'I don't know how he pulled that one out of his hat to be able to get a throw across the diamond for an out, which was huge. (Otherwise), there are two runners on base, one out and a different complexion to the inning.'
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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