Merrill Kelly Dominant as D-backs Even Up World Series

The Diamondbacks defeat Rangers 9-1 behind the veteran right-hander

Prior to Game 2 of the World Series, we asked Torey Lovullo if he would allow Merrill Kelly to push through the third time facing the Rangers lineup. In previous outings he had a somewhat early hook. In those cases the bullpen had been rested and it made sense.  Kelly took that decision right out of his manager's hands tonight by throwing seven dominant innings in a 9-1 Diamondbacks victory over the Texas Rangers.

Kelly allowed just three hits, didn't walk a batter, and struck out nine. The lone run against him came on a solo homer on a pitch down and in out of the zone to Mitch Garver.  It was arguably Kelly's greatest start of his career. With the Diamondbacks coming off a brutal walk-off loss the night before, he put the team on his back and shut down one of the best offenses in all of baseball. While he might have had a regular season outing or two that was statistically better than his final pitching line tonight, none were more important or on a bigger stage. Lovullo said as much during his post game press conference. 

"You can't simulate postseason wins -- let's say, you can't simulate postseason starts. He's really stepped on it and gotten after it and gotten even better which is not surprising to me because that's who he is at his core. He wants the biggest moment, the biggest stage to show what he's capable of doing."

It was a close game through the first seven innings and it took a while for the offense to really get started.  The game was a scoreless tie through the first three innings before the D-backs broke through with two run in the top of the fourth. Kelly retired the first 11 batters he faced before giving up a two out single in the bottom of the fourth. Garver led of the bottom of the fifth with his solo shot to make it 2-1, but Kelly got right back to dominating. With the contest now a one-run game, Kelly really bore down facing the top of the Rangers order for the third time in the 6th inning. He struck out the side, getting Marcus Semien looking followed by Corey Seager and Evan Carter swinging. 

His offense picked it up again in the 7th with two more runs, finally knocking Rangers starter Jordan Montgomery out of the game. Kelly then finished off his outing by retiring the side in order again in the bottom of the 7th, including two strikeouts looking of Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim on well-placed fastballs. 

The Diamondbacks scored three more in the top of the 8th to break the game open  to 7-1, but before that even happened Lovullo had decided to remove Kelly with just 89 pitches thrown. Lovullo could have easily let Kelly go back out for the 8th but he explained his reasoning. "I just felt like he had done his job. It was seven up/downs. It was a big ask. There was a ton of emotion that goes into every World Series game. I looked him up and down. I looked him over, and I felt like he was getting a little fatigued."

In typical Kelly fashion, he had questions. The last time he was removed from the game early he showed his shock and dismay at the decision in front the entire stadium and television audience as his manager marched out to the mound serenaded by boos. This time there was no such consternation, just a healthy discussion between pitcher and manager. "you've got to tell Merrill why, you've got to tell him what's on your mind. If there's buy-in he'll accept it. If not, he'll continue to hammer away at you. But I told him you did your job, seven up/downs time to turn over the bullpen. We've got some guys who need some work. And it's their job to secure this victory. And he said okay."

Kelly's outing was the first seven inning outing by a Diamondback in the postseason since Josh Collmenter pitched a seven inning game in the 2011 Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. There hasn't been a complete game in the postseason since Justin Verlander in 2017. Asked if he had to pinch himself a bit to make sure he was feeling the depth and gravity of his achievement, Kelly was seemed to be well past that. 

Honestly, afterward, not as much. I'm confident that I can get people out. I feel like I've shown myself enough over the last five years that if I execute pitches, I can get good hitters out. I think the pinching moment honestly came before the game, just sitting there thinking about what I was about to do and where I am and the stage that I'm on, I think was more the realization for me -- the fact that I was preparing to pitch Game 2 of the World Series. I think that was probably more of the "oh s--t" moment or whatever you want to call it.

Regardless of how he handled it, the way Kelly pitched tonight, and really this entire postseason and since the All-Star break can't be undervalued. In fact since July 15th he has supplanted Zac Gallen as the best and most reliable pitcher on the team. Nobody on the team will say that publicly, but the numbers for the last three and half months don't lie. Over his last 19 starts, Kelly has posted a 3.12 ERA while going just 6-5 with little run support prior to the postseason.  Gallen meanwhile has a 4.31 ERA over his last 20 starts.  Obviously three months does not a season or a career make. Gallen is still considered the "Ace" of the staff.  Kelly is the one putting up great games this postseason however, titles notwithstanding. 

Merrill Kelly Dominates the Potent Rangers Lineup https://t.co/HixEVF6ZKd #MLBFilmRoom via @MLB

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) October 29, 2023