Diamondbacks square World Series vs. Rangers behind Merrill Kelly's gem

ARLINGTON, Texas – Some 14 hours after Corey Seager hit one of the most dramatic home runs in World Series history, Torey Lovullo couldn’t stop thinking about the ear-splitting reaction in Globe Life Field.

“That was easily the loudest crowd roar that I've ever heard. And well-deserved,” Lovullo, the Arizona Diamondbacks manager, said Saturday afternoon, still digesting Seager’s Series-rocking, Game 1-tying home run.

Hours later, the sensory experience within Globe Life was music to Lovullo’s ears: Boos for the home team, a bevy of fans heading for the exits as the Diamondbacks busted the game open.

Game 2 starter Merrill Kelly was exactly what the Diamondbacks needed, shutting down Rangers heroes Seager and Adolis García and convincing his manager to go longer than ever, striking out nine in seven innings of a 9-1 victory Saturday night that squared this Series, 1-1.

The teams will scamper to Arizona in advance of Monday’s Game 3, the Diamondbacks scheduled to hurry out of here Saturday night, the Rangers on Sunday.

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They’ll land in Phoenix to a far different Series than many imagined.

Seager’s one-out, two-run Game 1 ninth-inning blast off Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald and García’s walk-off shot two innings later only confirmed the preconceived notions about this matchup between the 84-win Diamondbacks and 90-win Rangers.

Overmatch.

But Kelly helped the Diamondbacks shake off the emotional residue from Game 1, pitching shutout ball until a Mitch Garver home run in the fifth and only getting nastier as Arizona built leads of 2-1 and 4-1.

Facing the top of Texas’ order a third time in the sixth, he struck out Marcus Semien, Seager and Evan Carter, then fanned García to start the bottom of the seventh. He finished a run of seven consecutive batters retired by punching out Jonah Heim to end the seventh, exulting as he came off the mound.

Point made: Kelly chafed when Lovullo yanked him after five innings and 90 pitches in Game 6 of the NLCS. Lovullo hinted he might let Kelly go deeper this time.

Kelly made the decision easy, yielding just three hits in seven innings, backed by Gabriel Moreno’s fourth-inning homer to open the scoring and a four-hit night from Tommy Pham.

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, meanwhile, had a rare off night in the postseason, allowing lefty starter Jordan Montgomery to continue after yielding a seventh-inning leadoff double to Alek Thomas, only for Evan Longoria to drive him in with a single, a rally that pushed two crucial insurance runs across for a 4-1 lead.

And with an off day looming Saturday, he did not use set-up man Josh Sborz in the eighth inning, opting for lower-leverage hurlers Chris Stratton and Martin Pérez, the latter giving up a two-run single to Ketel Marte and another run-scoring hit to Corbin Carroll; a 4-1 game quickly became 7-1. 

By then, the boos rang out. The North Texas crowd of 42,500 began making for the exits.

And the World Series was truly on. 

Here's how Game 2 unfolded on Saturday:

Diamondbacks add two more runs in ninth

Diamondbacks third baseman Emmanuel Rivera singled to left, driving in Jace Peterson and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to extend the lead over the Rangers to 9-1.

The Diamondbacks have capitalized by scoring seven of their nine runs with two outs.

Diamondbacks break open Game 2 in eighth

The Diamondbacks broke Game 2 of the World Series open in the top of the eighth inning.

With a 4-1 lead, the D-backs added three runs with two outs to take a commanding 7-1 over the Rangers. D-backs second baseman Ketel Marte hit a two-out two-RBI single followed by an RBI single from Corbin Carroll.

For Marte, it extended his postgame hitting streak to a record 18 games.

The Diamondbacks are now six outs from evening the series 1-1.

Diamondbacks add insurance runs in seventh

ARLINGTON, Texas - Bruce Bochy left Jordan Montgomery in one too many batters, and it might have cost the Texas Rangers a pair of crucial runs. 

Montgomery gave up a leadoff double to lefty-swinging Alek Thomas in the seventh inning, and opted to let Montgomery face Evan Longoria with nobody out. The 38-year-old smacked a grounder that Josh Jung could not handle, and it rolled by for an RBI single to start a two-run rally and give the Arizona Diamondbacks a 4-1 lead in Game 2 of the World Series.

Andrew Heaney relieved Montgomery and got the first two outs of the inning, but No. 2 hitter Corbin Carroll drove home Longoria with an RBI single. 

The Diamondbacks are getting a stellar outing from starter Merrill Kelly, who's given up just three hits through six innings and struck out the side - Nos. 1-3 Rangers hitters Marcus Semien, Corey Seager and Evan Carter - in the bottom of the seventh. 

Rangers answer with a home run in fifth

ARLINGTON, Texas - Torey Lovullo was hoping to get a long start out of Merrill Kelly in World Series Game 2, and the right-hander was trending that way after four nearly perfect innings. But a fifth-inning ambush nearly cost him the lead. 

Mitch Garver led off the inning with a solo home run, cutting Arizona's lead to 2-1. One batter later, first baseman Nathaniel Lowe's long opposite-field drive was hauled in at the left field wall before Josh Jung singled. 

That prompted a mound visit from pitching coach Brent Strom, and Kelly ended the threat by inducing a comebacker from Leody Taveras.

Kelly's pitch count through five innings is a very efficient 59.

"If he gets the line moving in the right way and the pitch count is low and we're in the right spot, of course, I'm going to press him a little bit, for sure," Lovullo said before Game 2. Kelly's pitch counts were 89, 89 and 90 in his first three starts, and was visibly annoyed when Lovullo lifted him in the NLCS.

But he'll face the top of the Texas order a third time in the top of the sixth, a situation that bears watching. 

Diamondbacks strike first in Game 2

ARLINGTON, Texas - After mowing through the Arizona Diamondbacks to record the first 10 outs of Game 2, Jordan Montgomery was hit hard in the top of the fourth inning - and the ambush gave the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead. 

No. 3 hitter Gabriel Moreno worked a full count and then ripped a home run into the Arizona bullpen for the game's first run. Then, after Rangers third baseman Josh Jung made a gorgeous diving stop and throw to rob Christian Walker of a hit, Tommy Pham doubled and Lourdes Gurriel hit a two-out single for a 2-0 lead. 

The Diamondbacks hit just one ball to the outfield in the first three innings. Suddenly, they crushed the ball with exit velocities of 102, 100.9 and 97 mph, with Jung's stellar play likely preventing further damage. 

Arizona starter Merrill Kelly retired the first 14 Rangers batters until Evan Carter's soft bloop into center field. But Adolis Garcia - who's homered in five consecutive games - flew out to right field, ending the fourth.  

Pitchers duel in World Series Game 2

ARLINGTON, Texas - A pitcher's duel has broken out in Game 2 of the World Series 

In fact, Arizona's Merrill Kelly and Texas Rangers left-hander Jordan Montgomery have been practically perfect. 

Kelly retired all nine Rangers he faced, while Montgomery has faced one batter over the minimum in that stretch as the Diamondbacks and Rangers are locked in a scoreless tie after three innings. 

Montgomery, showing no ill effects from recording seven outs on two days' rest in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, has given up just Alek Thomas' single to right and Tommy Pham's infield single; the latter hit was erased by a 4-6-3 double play. 

Kelly, Arizona's best pitcher this postseason, has struck out three in three innings, including Evan Carter and Nathaniel Lowe looking. 

Both clubs could use the, ahem, shot in the arm, as they each covered 11 innings in the Rangers' 6-5 Game 1 win Friday.

Center fielder Alek Thomas gets rare start vs. lefty in Game 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Diamondbacks are giving center fielder Alek Thomas a rare start against a left-handed pitcher, putting him in the lineup in the No. 7 spot against the Texas Rangers and lefty Jordan Montgomery for Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night.

“Just a lot of room out there in center field,” manager Torey Lovullo said.”I wanted to make sure we were going to be running some baseballs down. And he actually swung the bat OK against (Montgomery) back at home.

“I felt like when you’re fighting for every inch on a baseball field, you’ve got to lock down certain parts of it. Pitching and defense are certainly top priorities for us.”

While that makes sense on its own, it makes even more sense considering how little production the Diamondbacks have been getting from the right-handed option who would take Thomas’ place in the lineup. Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera started three games in the National League Championship Series and is just 2 for 12 this postseason.

Thomas hit just .143 against left-handed pitching this season. He got the nod against lefty Clayton Kershaw in the division series but was left on the bench against three left-handed starters in the NLCS. —Nick Piecoro

What time does the World Series start tonight? TV channel for Rangers vs. Diamondbacks in Game 2

Saturday's game at Globe Life Field is scheduled to begin at 8:03 p.m. ET, airing on FOX. The game can be live-streamed on FoxSports.com or fuboTV.

Rangers, Diamondbacks starting lineups and pitchers for Game 2

Arizona Diamondbacks

RHP Merrill Kelly

1. Ketel Marte (S) 2B
2. Corbin Carroll (L) RF
3. Gabriel Moreno (R) C
4. Christian Walker (R) 1B
5. Tommy Pham (R) DH
6. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) LF
7. Alek Thomas (L) CF
8. Evan Longoria (R) 3B
9. Geraldo Perdomo (S) SS

Texas Rangers

LHP Jordan Montgomery

1. Marcus Semien (R) 2B
2. Corey Seager (L) SS
3. Evan Carter (L) LF
4. Adolis Garcia (R) RF
5. Mitch Garver (R) DH
6. Jonah Heim (S) C
7. Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
8. Josh Jung (R) 3B
9. Leody Taveras (S) CF

Game 2 simulation: Rangers come back to take commanding lead

A relentless Texas Rangers offense wouldn't be denied as Nathaniel Lowe keyed a late rally with a bases-clearing triple to propel the Rangers past the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-5 in Game 2 of USA TODAY Sports' annual Simulated World Series via Dynasty League Baseball.

Just as they did in winning the opener, the Rangers unloaded on the D-backs bullpen, scoring four runs in the seventh inning and two more in the eighth to take the first two games of the Sim Series at home.

Looking to build on his otherworldly performance in Game 1, Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien doubled to lead off the bottom of the first inning. However, his teammates couldn't drive him in and Arizona took an early lead on Evan Longoria's two-out RBI single in the top of the second.

Texas came right back with Semien extending his scalding hot streak in the bottom of the frame. With two on and two out, he tripled to the gap in left center to put the Rangers on top 2-1 – and increase his RBI total for the series to 14.

– Steve Gardner

Corey Seager stays the king of Globe Life Field

ARLINGTON, Texas − The Texas Rangers stood around in their clubhouse late Friday night, looking at all of the text messages on their phone, talking about the moment they’ll never forget, and in no hurry to go home. 

It wasn’t Corey Seager’s stunning ninth-inning home run, dramatically tying the game.

It wasn’t Adolis Garcia’s game-winning, 11^th-inning home run that give the Texas Rangers an electrifying 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of the World Series. 

It was Seager’s raw, pure, beautiful reaction. 

The stare. The grin. The look of disbelief. The bat flip. 

The dance around the bases. 

“Man, that’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen on a baseball field," Rangers outfielder Travis Jankowski said. “It was so great because Corey shows zero emotion the entire season. He shows more emotion in a locker room playing cards than he does on the field."

– Bob Nightengale

Diamondbacks have regrets after blowing Game 1.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Adolis García played the inevitable hero in Game 1, drilling a walk-off homer off Miguel Castro in the 11th inning for a 6-5 Rangers victory. Corey Seager and García’s blasts may very well play on highlight loops for time eternal in the Metroplex, particularly if the Rangers win three more games and their first World Series title ever.

Yet it is what happened two batters before Seager, when Sewald issued a leadoff walk on five pitches to No. 9 hitter Leody Taveras that will haunt him, for one night at least and longer if Arizona does not turn it around.

“They have such a potent offense,” Sewald said in a silent Diamondbacks clubhouse. “And you have to try get the bottom of the lineup before the top comes up. That’s what I’ll be most frustrated with – walking Taveras.

“Seager’s one of the 10 best players in this league. And you’ve got to try to face him with nobody on there.”

– Gabe Lacques

Globe Life Field roof closed again for World Series Game 2

 The Globe Life Field roof will remain closed for Game 2 of the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

The roof was closed for Friday's opener, won by Texas 6-5 in 11 innings. Rain fell Saturday afternoon and the forecast called for a possible thunderstorm in the evening.

For the neutral-site 2020 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays, the Globe Life roof was open for Games 1, 2 and 4 and closed for Games 3, 5 and 6.

Arizona’s Chase Field in Phoenix also has a retractable roof, leading to the possibility of the first all-indoor World Series. The roof of the stadium, then known as Bank One Ballpark, was open for Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 of the 2001 World Series, when the Diamondbacks won all four home games against the New York Yankees.

While the home team controls the roof decision during the regular season, MLB makes the call during the postseason.

– Associated Press