Chapman’s Record, Bennett’s Arm: Red Sox Cruise Past Angels

Aroldis Chapman broke an MLB strikeout record while Jake Bennett was brilliant on the mound, and the Red Sox offense did its job in a 5-2 victory over the Angels in Anaheim. On a day when baseball felt like a supporting actor to bigger sports headlines—Argentina nearly losing to Cape Verde, Djokovic matching history at Wimbledon—the Red Sox quietly put together exactly what a contender should: efficient pitching and timely hitting.

Bennett’s performance was the real story here. The righthander managed the Angels lineup effectively, keeping them to two runs across a solid outing. That’s the kind of depth pitching Craig Breslow’s roster construction depends on. The rotation has shown it can win games without everything being perfect, and that’s a luxury in October baseball. Ranger Suarez, Brayan Bello, and the rest of the staff know Bennett will eat innings when called upon.

But Chapman’s record-breaking night adds another layer. At 44, the flame-throwing closer is defying age itself—and now the record books. Whether Chapman is closing games in meaningful situations down the stretch, his ability to still dominate speaks volumes about the investment in this bullpen. Tommy Kahnle, Joe La Sorsa, Garrett Whitlock—this group has depth, and Chapman’s presence, even symbolic at this point in his career, matters.

The offense generating five runs in Anaheim isn’t flashy, but it’s what you need in July. Masataka Yoshida continues to be the engine. Jarren Duran’s growth in left field makes this lineup more dangerous than it looked on paper. The supporting cast around those two has to stay consistent, and performances like this suggest they are.

One win in early July doesn’t make a season. But when your 44-year-old closer is rewriting the history books and your mid-rotation guys are pitching clean baseball, you like what you’re building heading into August.