Chapman leaves with injury, teammates step up as Red Sox take series from Dodgers

Chapman leaves with injury, teammates step up as Red Sox take series from Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Aroldis Chapman, the Boston Red Sox’ All-Star closer, left Sunday’s game with an injury, but his teammates stepped up to help close out the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 to take the weekend series from the reigning World Series champions.

The Sox won the series 2-1, with Jordan Hicks closing out the game after Chapman was forced to leave. Hicks got a huge assist from second baseman Ceddanne Rafaela, who had an unassisted double play to end the 8th inning.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after the game that Chapman had a tight back but should be OK and shouldn’t require a stay on the injured list. His velocity was down Sunday and he walked two of the three batters he faced before he was pulled.

“We saw it right away, and the stuff was way down,” Cora said.

“Just a little spasm that I felt yesterday,” Chapman said through a translator after the game. “Just felt a little uncomfortable today, but nothing big. I just hope that in the next couple days I’ll be able to get back out there.”

Hicks is expected to fill in as the closer if Chapman needs to miss any time.

Cora said Chapman wanted to face Teoscar Hernandez before he was pulled, but the team didn’t want to risk further injury.

The Sox manager also praised Rafaela’s defense, and in particular that huge 8th inning double play.

“His instincts are off the chart,” he said. “It’s a joy watching him play defense. At center, second, at short, it doesn’t matter, he is that good.”

Star rookie Roman Anthony was also injured Sunday when he was hit by a pitch on the foot, but he stayed in the game and later legged out a triple and ultimately scored on Alex Bregman’s 2- run homer.

“It was getting tighter, but he grinded through it,” Cora said. “That’s what big leaguers do.”

The Red Sox are now 57-50 on the season and 9-1 in their last 10 games at home. They will not travel to Minnesota for a three game series against the Twins.