Matt Chapman takes Brad Hand deep in the 12th inning to walk it off, a breakdown
What Happened
In the bottom of the 12th inning, the game between the Oakland Athletics and an unnamed opposing team is tied 3-3. Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman steps up to the plate against Cleveland Indians pitcher Brad Hand. Hand has been reliable this season, but Chapman is looking to end the game for the Athletics. Hand begins his delivery with a four-seam fastball, missing the strike zone. He tries another fastball, but it's also a ball, putting Chapman in a favorable hitter's count at 2-0. Hand appears to be struggling to locate his pitches early in the at-bat. Knowing Hand likes to rely on his slider, which he throws 50% of the time, Chapman seems to be sitting on that pitch. Hand tries another fastball, but Chapman lays off, making it a full count. The crowd senses the drama building as Chapman prepares for Hand's next offering. Hand winds up and delivers a slider, but it's out of the strike zone. Chapman doesn't bite and the at-bat remains tied at 3-3 in the 12th inning. The Athletics dugout is lively, with players anticipating Chapman's chance to end the game. Hand goes back to the slider, but this time Chapman is ready. He crushes the pitch, sending it deep over the outfield fence for a walk-off home run, the first of his career. Chapman's teammates erupt in celebration, with one player pointing and shouting, seemingly having predicted the outcome. The Athletics' bench erupts in excitement, with players high-fiving and embracing Chapman as he rounds the bases. Outfielder Stephen Piscotty narrowly avoids the discarded bat on the ground and teammate Ramon Laureano races in to douse Chapman with a celebratory Gatorade shower. The jubilant Athletics players continue to celebrate, with veteran first baseman Chris Davis playfully throwing some jabs Chapman's way. Finally, Chapman is fully drenched in the Gatorade, completing the walk-off victory for the home team.
Full Transcript
Click timestamps to jump to that momenttied at threes into Oakland bottom of
the 12th inning Matt Chapman leads off
and Brad hand is in to pitch Brad ham
throws his slider 50% of the time opens
up with a four seam fastball ball their
ball one
next pitch he goes back to the fastball
can't find his own ball 2 now Chapman is
in a fastball count and the dude just
threw two fast balls you'd expect him to
be swinging big here unless he's sitting
slider or he wants to be patient and get
the leadoff batter on base because that
is the go-ahead Ron gets fastball right
down the middle doesn't pull the trigger
I think he's sitting slider here the
whole way to one pitch here comes a
slider and Chapman steps out and says
yep that's the one I like that's the one
I'm gonna hit okay gets back in the box
ham throws another slider but this time
it's out of the zone now you got a full
count he's not gonna walk you he's gonna
put his best pitch in the zone which is
a slider Chapman sits on it boom tattoos
it that's a home run that's a walk off
the first of chapman's career wins the
game Brad hand says alright yeah I think
I'll just go home now things didn't
really that's not what I wanted boom
sat on it crush it very understated
celebration from Chapman here just a
little little tiny fist pump love this
love the bench you always have one guy
who's gonna point and say I told you or
used to you called it you got on deck
Center throwing his bat down
you got the catcher and this guy getting
in a little fight like I [ __ ] told you
no I [ __ ] told you we got Piscotty
sidestepping the bat on the ground just
sees it in the nick of time gets out of
the way
very good we got the cooler coming and
we got Laureano racing in to try and get
try and beat him to the plate with the
Gatorade a nice a nice jumpin Gatorade
throw from Morgana there look at this
form yeah see that
that's art right there let's go from the
other angle
we got the Gatorade over here a square
one those are hard to throw it's not the
best Gatorade toss I've ever seen it's
not the worst not bad they're all
excited you get Chris Davis gonna throw
some jabs his way coming up right here
boom-boom-boom got them some old man
white high-fives just as simple as it
gets
and then to top it off here's the real
Gatorade shower and that is cold and wet
and sticky and sucks just like the
slider brat and through