Chapman goes to the stretch to end slump

NEW YORK -- When closer Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save in Monday's 4-3 Reds win over the Mets, he did something a little unusual. Chapman ditched his usual windup and threw all 11 pitches from the stretch position even with no one on base.

Chapman had eight strikes that included six swings and misses. On a few occasions, he reached 99 mph on the radar gun.

"He was down in the bullpen getting loose and threw from the stretch and felt comfortable that way. So he just stayed with it," Reds pitching coach Bryan Price said on Tuesday.

Chapman was bouncing back from consecutive blown saves and has struggled with command in multiple outings this month. But there was no mandate from Price or the club that Chapman not use his unique windup.

"It matters that he's comfortable. And if he's comfortable solely from the stretch, that's fine," Price said. "But we haven't terminated the windup delivery if he decides to stay in the stretch. That's fine. They both work."