Kelly's gem in Game 2 helps D-Backs even World Series

Merrill Kelly threw seven brilliant innings in his World Series debut to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-1 win over the Texas Rangers in Game 2, which evened the Fall Classic at one game apiece.

Kelly was nearly untouchable, striking out nine without issuing a walk and allowing only three hits on 89 pitches. The lone run he allowed was a homer to Mitch Garver, who golfed a low-and-in sinker over the wall.

"I thought he might go nine innings today at one point," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "But for that to happen, 89 pitches, you've got to jump him up probably another 35. I wasn't going to let him throw 120 pitches."

The 35-year-old became the 10th pitcher in World Series history to record at least nine strikeouts with zero walks, per Stathead. Of those 10 pitchers, only four - Kelly, Clayton Kershaw, Cliff Lee, and Don Newcombe - did it while allowing one or fewer earned runs. Kelly's also the second D-Backs pitcher to accomplish the feat, joining Curt Schilling, who did it in Game 7 of the 2001 Fall Classic.

He also became the first starting pitcher to reach the seventh inning of a World Series game in the 2020s, according to Tyler Kepner of The Athletic.

"Just great command. He hit his spots all night, four pitches," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "He was on. He's tough when he's on. He's been pitching well in the postseason and carried that into tonight's game."

Arizona's offense was also firing on all cylinders against Rangers lefty Jordan Montgomery. The D-Backs pounded out 16 hits while striking out just twice, becoming only the third team in the wild-card era to K two or fewer times in a World Series game, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. Every D-Backs starter recorded at least one hit during the beatdown.

Designated hitter Tommy Pham led the way, going 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and scoring two runs. It was Pham's third career four-hit playoff game, moving him into a tie with Albert Pujols for the most in playoff history, according to OptaStats.

"There's no nonsense about his workday," Lovullo said of Pham. "He's a great teammate. He's an unbelievable teammate. And I know we got better because of all the things that he brings to the table that don't get seen in a box score. It's nice to get those four hits today. Of course, it set a great tone for us."

Gabriel Moreno opened the scoring for Arizona with a solo homer in the fourth inning, his fourth of the playoffs. Corbin Carroll had two hits and two RBIs, while Ketel Marte ripped a two-run single that extended his postseason hitting streak to a record 18 games.

Montgomery, meanwhile, matched Kelly during the early stages of Game 2 before his outing came undone late. The left-hander became the first starter to not record a strikeout over six-plus innings in a World Series game since the New York Yankees' Jimmy Key in 1996. He took the loss after allowing four earned runs on nine hits.

The game remained close until the D-Backs erupted for five runs in the final two innings off Rangers relievers Chris Stratton and Martín Pérez.