Inside The Blue Jays

Blue Jays' Chapman Hits Clutch Bomb, But A's Get Last Laugh

Matt Chapman’s magic against his former team couldn’t hold off a 7-5 Oakland victory.

Ethan Diamandas

© John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

TORONTO — Matt Chapman faced his former team this weekend for the first time since being traded to the Blue Jays. The first game didn’t go amazing, but he cranked it up in Game No. 2 versus the A’s.

It took until the sixth inning, but Chapman delivered in classic, timely fashion. Oakland reliever Domingo Acevedo pumped a fastball up-and-in, and in a blink of an eye it was soaring through the air. Chapman calmly stepped out of the box, admiring his two-run blast that bounded into the left-field stands.

Chapman’s stone-cold demeanor as he hit the homer could’ve been about revenge, but it wasn’t. There’s no bad blood between Chapman and Oakland, where the 28-year-old spent the first five years of his career. “Chappy” hit 111 home runs for the A’s and won three Gold Gloves, the latest of which he received in a short pre-game ceremony before Saturday’s game with Oakland manager Mark Kotsay.

The A’s had the last laugh in Saturday's 7-5 Blue Jays loss, but it was a journey to get to that result.

Once the game started, Chapman solidified himself as Toronto’s hometown hero. His sixth-inning nuke was instantly contagious, and the Blue Jays’ bats—which are famous for heating up in milliseconds—awoke from a game-long slumber.

Zack Collins, the very next batter, came through clutch, turning on a changeup and ripping a deep fly ball over the wall in right field to tie the game. The team’s designated hitter this time around, Collins knocked out three hits, starting with two singles before delivering the home run.

The 27-year-old was brought to Toronto for his offensive profile—something the Blue Jays are still hoping to unlock—and his progress this series has been encouraging. His 1.077 season OPS obviously won’t continue, but with several starters on the shelf with injuries, any upside from Collins helps.

The back-to-back jacks tied the game brought Toronto back into a game that was previously out of reach. With an unconventional Blue Jays lineup that had Raimel Tapia batting leadoff in place of the resting George Springer, the sudden swing in momentum lit up the building and its 32,330 fans.

Charlie Montoyo’s ejection in the eighth inning also inspired a hearty reaction from the crowd. Typically calm and collected, Montoyo’s frustration boiled over after two questionable strike calls to Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and home plate umpire Jeff Nelson gave the Blue Jays skipper the hook.

"You've got give our guys credit," Montoyo said. "We're a team that doesn't really argue that much, but I'm watching the game and I feel like I have to protect my my players. And that's just what it was."

While the Blue Jays ultimately didn’t win, thanks to a Cristian Pache two-run homer off Julian Merryweather in the ninth, it was still a vibrant effort from a club that was at one point in a four-run hole. Toronto will look for a split on Sunday. 

Published
Ethan Diamandas
ETHAN DIAMANDAS

Ethan Diamandas is a contributing writer who covers the Toronto Blue Jays for Sports Illustrated. He also writes for Yahoo Sports Canada and MLB.com. Follow Ethan on Twitter @EthanDiamandas

Home/News