Three Thoughts on D-backs at Rangers, Gm 2
Arizona demonstrates why they are often called the Answerbacks to even series.
The Arizona Diamondbacks did everything that they needed to do on Saturday Night and comfortably deflated Globe Life Field’s eager public right out of the game by winning Game 2, 9-1. This important win for Arizona squares the World Series at one game each as we head to Phoenix for Game 3 on Monday Night. The Rangers will need to respond there.
These are my Three Thoughts:
– The Rangers won one of the best games in franchise history on Friday Night, yet, it all feels pretty fortunate to be tied in this series after two games.
Texas has just not been able to get a real grip on things in these first two games against a confident Arizona team who wants to make you uncomfortable. I cannot speak for the Rangers, but I know they have made me uncomfortable.
From the 3rd inning of Game 1, the Rangers have not taken a lead aside from one swing from Adolis Garcia that ended that first game. The team has grown quite accustomed to playing with the lead throughout most of the playoffs, but have now been chasing for the better part of two games. In fact, if Corey Seager doesn’t do what he did in the 9th inning, there is a very real chance Arizona is leaving Texas with both games in this series.
Now, that last passage is filled with hypotheticals, because Seager did hit a massive home run, but from a standpoint of game-flow and tone-setting, we must concede that the Rangers haven’t really been able to play their game.
It starts with being unable to get the big innings going and when you start every inning with the leadoff man unable to generate anything, you find your runners always feel like they are on with 2 outs. The pressures mount and you are chasing the game. It is tough to say how much credit exactly must go to the way Arizona has pitched, but there is no doubt that Merrill Kelly was outstanding on Saturday night. The way he painted the corners and the border of the strike zone was fantastic. We have seen the Rangers punish pitchers all month, so navigating the lineup can seem like disarming a bomb.
But, not on this occasion. In this Game 2, Kelly pitched at a phenomenal level and quieted the Texas bats and the stadium. It was exactly what Torey Lovullo was hoping for and it was delivered.