Diamondbacks strike back, rout Rangers to even World Series

ARLINGTON, TX (3TV/CBS 5) - The Arizona Diamondbacks shook off a tough 11th-inning loss Friday night to rout the Texas Rangers 9-1 Saturday night in Game 2 of the World Series.

Merrill Kelly took the mound for the Diamondbacks, and Jordan Montgomery was the starter for Texas. After four scoreless innings, the Diamondbacks struck first when Gabi Moreno hit a solo home run with one out. Then Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drove in Pham to make it 2-0 through the fourth inning.

The Rangers came back in the fifth with a Mitch Garver went low to take Kelly’s sinker over the left-field wall to put the Rangers on the board 2-1. Montgomery threw for six innings before Texas manager Bruce Bochy brought in lefty Andrew Heaney.

Corbin Carroll got his first hit of the night with a single that drove in Evan Longoria to make it 4-1. After three batters, Heaney came out, and right-hander Dane Dunning came in for Texas to finish the inning. Chris Stratton began the 8th for Texas.

Ketel Marte hit a two-run single to break the game open and extend his postseason hitting streak to 18 games. Carroll knocked in an RBI single to extend the Diamondbacks’ lead to 7-1 in the eighth. Martin Perez came in to pitch for Texas.

Merrill Kelly came out after seven innings. He threw 89 pitches, allowing only three baserunners and one run, with nine strikeouts. Andrew Saalfrank took over in the middle of the 8th with the D-backs still up 7-1.

The ninth inning brought two more runs in for the Snakes to make it 9-1. The Rangers got a runner on base with one out when Luis Frias came in to close it up for the Diamondbacks. With two runners on board, Frias got Mitch Garver out with a line drive.

The 2023 World Series continues Monday night at Chase Field. The first pitch is at 5:03 p.m. and the game will be on KMSB Fox 11.