Bumgarner notches season first against Chapman in pinch-hitting AB
San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner was called upon to pinch hit once again, this time against one of the hardest-throwing pitchers the game has ever seen – and he certainly didn't disappoint.
In the eighth inning of the Giants' 9-8 extra-inning loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, manager Bruce Bochy told Bumgarner to grab his bat and helmet and step up to the plate against Reds flame-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman with two outs and runners on first and second and the score at 8-5 in the Reds' favor.
Bumgarner quickly went down 0-2 against Chapman, but then demonstrated why Bochy has enough confidence in his abilities at the plate to throw him in important situations as a pinch hitter.
After falling down 0-2, Bumgarner took two balls and fouled off another ball to bring the count to 2-2.
The 26-year-old lefty ace, who hits from the right side, then took another two balls to draw a walk.
Bumgarner's impressive at-bat serves as the first time this season a batter has walked against Chapman after being down 0-2 in the count, according to MLB. Forty-one out of 58 batters the lefty closer has faced in that situation have struck out in 2015.
#MadBum is 1st batter this year to walk vs Aroldis Chapman after being down 0-2. 58 batters went 0-2, 41 struck out. pic.twitter.com/DIqMTF2ukV
— MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay) September 16, 2015
That's not it, either.
ESPN Stats & Info notes that Bumgarner is also the first pitcher to ever reach base against Chapman.
More importantly for the Giants, Bumgarner's walk kept the inning alive and led to a run, when Ehire Adrianza was hit with the bases loaded on the ensuing at-bat.
The Giants eventually lost the game in 10 innings, but Bumgarner did his part in the game and only added to his growing legacy.
