October 13th, 2023
PHOENIX — You don’t have to tell D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly how loud it can get at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He has seen firsthand what it’s like there in the biggest moments.
It was Game 3 of last year’s World Series, the Phillies’ first home game against the Astros, and it was also the birthday of Kelly’s brother, Reid. Before moving to the Chicago area, the Kellys lived just outside of Philadelphia; the Phillies were Reid’s favorite team.
So Merrill went online and purchased a couple of tickets to take Reid. The game was rained out, so they went back the next night and were treated to one of the best games in Phillies history. Philadelphia hit five home runs and beat the Astros, 7-0.
“I’ve seen [Phillies fans] probably as loud as they could possibly be,” Merrill said. “They hit five homers in that game. So I have a hard time believing that anything I’m about to experience [there] is louder than that.”
Merrill remembers well what he said to Reid during the game.
“I remember looking at him and telling him like this is obviously where I want to be a year from now,” Merrill said. “So the fact that we’re going there for the LCS is going to be pretty cool. I’m interested to see what that energy feels like actually on the field.”
Kelly is slated to start Game 2 at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday. Zac Gallen has the call for Game 1 on Monday.
The D-backs know that the atmosphere in Philadelphia will be electric. It will be loud, and Phillies fans will do their best to get under their skin, as they’ve done to many a postseason opponent. Philadelphia’s .703 postseason win percentage (26-11) at Citizens Bank Park (which made its playoff debut in 2007) is the best all-time for any team in any park (minimum 20 games).
With that in mind, the D-backs piped in crowd noise Friday afternoon during batting practice and their intrasquad game at Chase Field.
More than that, though, the D-backs feel they are prepared for what’s to come because of what they just went through. Their first four postseason games were on the road in Milwaukee and Los Angeles, and the crowds were extremely vocal in both places.
“It’s going to be loud,” closer Paul Sewald said. “Phillies fans, they’re rowdy fans. They’re feeling confident after last season, and then they’re on a pretty good roll right now.
“The key is to get the lead. You know, there were 60,000 people waving blue towels this week, and then they weren’t waving them much after the first inning. And that really made Dodger Stadium a lot more easy environment to pitch in and to play in. So the key will be to jump on them. And if we can jump on them, it’ll be a lot easier to play downhill.”
Moreno good to go
It has been a rough postseason physically for D-backs catcher Gabriel Moreno. He was hit in the head by a backswing in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series and left the game. Then he took a foul tip off his right hand in Game 3 of the NL Division Series and again left the game.
Moreno was fortunate to avoid a concussion in Milwaukee, and it looks as though he was able to avoid serious injury against the Dodgers, as well. X-rays came back negative.
“We are full steam ahead with him being our starting catcher for Game 1,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.
This and that
• Left-hander Tommy Henry, who was placed on the injured list on July 28 with left elbow inflammation and has not pitched since, is a possibility to be used in relief. Henry threw in the simulated game Friday.
• The D-backs carried 12 pitchers and 14 position players for the first two rounds of the postseason, but they might go with 13 and 13 in this round. That’s because they’ll need to use more than just three starting pitchers in the best-of-seven series.
The short Wild Card Series and all the days off during the NLDS allowed them to get by with just three starters: Gallen, Kelly and Brandon Pfaadt.
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