D-backs Offense, Bullpen Back Merrill Kelly's Quality Start

Speaking to Dbacks.TV's Todd Walsh, Marte gave enthusiastic praise to his teammates. "I feel great [about this group]. We've got a good group, good talent. We've got a good team and if we do the little things we're going to be alright."

Kelly had a workmanlike quality start. He threw six-plus innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits, three walks, and seven strikeouts. He threw 94 pitches, 55 for strikes.

At the same time, it was Coors Field on a hot night with the wind blowing out to right. So by that standard, it was a gem. He issued a walk to the first batter of the game, followed by a homer from Jordan Beck. That erased an early 1-0 lead.

The veteran right-hander also gave up an unearned run in the third inning, albeit due in part to his own fielding error. The Rockies had the leadoff hitter on in five of the seven innings he pitched in. Yet through all of that, he never seemed like he lost control of the game or the Rockies lineup. Kelly induced two ground ball double plays, and one of his bequeathed runners was picked off.

Kelly chose to go with the cutter as his primary weapon, throwing 45 of them, getting six whiffs on 20 swings against the pitch. But he also induced five more whiffs on 11 swings against his signature changeup. His outing ended when he gave up a leadoff double and a walk in the top of the seventh.

Handing it off to Ryan Thompson, the sidewinder was brilliant. He picked Mickey Moniak off second base and got a popout and a strikeout to end the inning.

Manager Torey Lovullo credited bench coach Jeff Banister for calling the pickoff play. "Those are the little things that we work on. We have them in our backpack. [Banister] does a great job of calling it, he's instinctually seeing things, he sent the signal to the boys, and they went out and executed it."

Jalen Beeks followed with a seven-pitch eighth inning to hand the ball off to Miller. The closer pitched an extremely impressive ninth inning. Ryan McMahon put down a bunt and Ildemaro Vargas threw the ball up the line to put the leadoff man on base. Miller came back and struck out the next three batters, ending his outing with 11 straight untouchable four-seam fastballs.

Marte was impressed. "He's nasty," said the D-backs' star second baseman. "I faced him before. He's got a pretty good fastball. He's a man out there. When he goes, he likes to compete. I love Shelby and I love what he's doing right now for us."

Said Miller, "It was a good four-seam day. I stayed with that. I knew if I could execute at the top of the zone in a park like this with the lefties coming up, we're going to get fly balls. Hopefully I could pop out or get some swing-and-miss."

The Diamondbacks will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon at 12:10 p.m. MST. Brandon Pfaadt will start for the D-backs. Anthony Senzatela is expected to pitch the bulk innings if he doesn't start. There is the possibility the Rockies will begin with an opener however.

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