New York Post

Chapman rebounds from rough Game 2

- By DAN MARTIN

The last time Aroldis Chapman pitched in the ALCS, he allowed the game-winning double in a crushing Game 2 defeat in Houston.

It was the le f t y ’s o n ly appearance since last Wednesday, as Chapman went from a heavy workload to barely getting on the mound.

And for most of Tuesday’s 6-4 comeback win in Game 4 in The Bronx to even the series, it looked like Chapman would get another night off.

“You never know what’s gonna happen,’’ Chapman said through an interprete­r of the stunning comeback. “You have to fight to the end.”

Chapman was put into action after the Yankees scored two in the seventh and four more in the eighth to set up a save situation, pounding closer Ken Giles — and the rest of the Houston bullpen— in the process.

“What they did that inning is incredible,” Chapman said of the Yankees’ offense. “It gives you the feeling that this team is ready for more, like there’s something bigger for us — like the World Series.”

With the way this series is going, they’ll likely also need another strong outing from Chapman, who made easy work of the Astros in the ninth — fanning Yuli Gurriel and Alex Bregman before getting pinch-hitter Evan Gattis to fly to left to end the game.

It was a much different result than in Game 2, when Chapman entered a tie game and allowed a one-out single to Jose Altuve before Carlos Correa ripped a double to right-center that scored Altuve from first when Gary Sanchez couldn’t handle Didi Gregorius’ relay throw to the plate.

“Games like that, you just put behind you,” Chapman said. “You can’t think about that. You have to move on.”

It’s the kind of outing Chase Headley has come to expect.

“He’s one of the best in the game,” Headley said.

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