C. Trent Rosecrans

crosecrans@enquirer.com

Aroldis Chapman said he teared up a little after throwing his final pitch of the day and the season.

It finished off Johnny Cueto's 20th win and gave him 36 saves on the season, but it was the fact that - after his horrific accident in spring training - he was even able to make it back to the mound that was incredible.

"I felt really emotional for what happened the whole season," Chapman said according to translator Tomas Vera. "It was not just important for me to do what I did, it was just important for my family as well that I came back and do what I did."

Chapman was hit in the face during a spring training game on March 20 and required surgery to place a titanium plate to set the broken bone above his left eye. It could have meant his life and it could have meant his career.

Instead, he came out and delivered one of the most dominating seasons in Major League history.

Chapman struck out 52.5 percent of the batters he faced, a Major League record. He was just the second pitcher to ever strike out more than 50 percent of the batters he faced. Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel struck out 50.2 percent in 2012.

Chapman also became the first pitcher since the advent of PITCHf/x tracking to average better than 100 mph on his fastball, averaging 100.3 mph on his fastballs this season.

Those things didn't mean as much as the fact he was able to pitch, Chapman said on Sunday.

"I really don't look forward to breaking or doing any kind of records. That's not on my mind," Chapman said, according to Vera. "When I go in there, I go in there to do my job and to close the game and get it done. Records are something you can't control. Records are what destiny gives to you."

CUE-TO, CUE-TO: Pirates fans have taken to chanting Johnny Cueto's name — they felt like it affected him a year ago in his playoff loss and they've done it time and time again this season. Each time, he's made them pay.

The Reds won all six games against the Pirates that Cueto started this season. He went 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA against Pittsburgh this season.

Pirates fans at Great American Ball Park started the chant right before he hit McCutchen and continued it afterward.

"Yes, I hear them. Like I said before, I've heard them say that," Cueto said, according to Vera. "They only beat me one time."

In his career, Cueto is 18-7 with a 2.21 ERA in 27 career starts against the Pirates.

FANS PACK GABP: Sunday's announced attendance of 34,424 at Great American Ball Park put the final season number at 2,476,664. The average crowd was 30,576.

It's the second-best attendance mark in GABP history, trailing just 2013's 2,492,059 total. It's the sixth-best mark in club history.