June 16, 2017: Chapman’s First Career Hit Propels A’s Past Yankees
Jun 16, 2020, 9:21 AM | Updated: 9:23 am
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
Three years ago today, rookie infielder Matt Chapman delivered a late go-ahead single to lead the A’s to a 7-6 win over New York
All athletic events will be on pause for the foreseeable future, which is a tough pill to swallow for sports fans around the world.
While this may be a rough time for Oakland Athletics fans, we can look back on some good times while we wait for baseball to make its return.
June 16, 2017: A’s 7, Yankees 6
On this date in 2017, the Oakland Athletics pulled out a nail-biting win over the New York Yankees thanks to a rookie third baseman named Matt Chapman.
Chapman, who was playing in the second game of his career, came up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with one out and the bases loaded. Oakland, who had a 4-0 lead at one point, was now trailing New York 6-5 with only five outs remaining.
The rookie infielder took an 0-2 breaking ball from Yankees reliever Jonathan Holder and drove it down the left field line, scoring two runs and giving the Athletics a 7-6 lead.
It was quite a first-career hit for Chapman, as the two-run single would prove to be the game-sealing blow to the Yankees as Oakland would finish off the game in the ninth inning to claim a 7-6 win.
Chapman finished the game with three RBI, also driving in a run via a run-scoring groundout in the second inning. Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt picked up an RBI double in win for Oakland.
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge hit a three-run home run in the loss for New York.