NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS DODGERS

October 7, 2023

Merrill Kelly

Dodger Stadium

Arizona Diamondbacks

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Diamondbacks - 11, Dodgers - 2

Q. What's it like being staked to a six-run lead in that spot? I know you've probably been waiting for this start the whole life, and to get six runs on the board before you take the mound, what's that like?

MERRILL KELLY: It makes my job a lot easier for sure. I've got to hand it to the guys in the clubhouse. They jumped all over Kershaw early. It just makes going out there and feeling -- going into attack mode makes it a lot easier to do that when you have six, and then obviously after the second we had nine.

That team is a team that you have trouble if you fall behind. If you're not being aggressive in the strike zone they can beat you a lot, and they have with me a lot. So the run support early it just makes me more comfortable and more aggressive, I think, out of the chute.

Q. What is going through your mind? That was a long top half of the first inning, you have a lot of time to think and maybe get yourself mentally ready. What's going through your mind when that all that is happening and how do you maintain that focus and not get off what your game plan was?

MERRILL KELLY: Honestly, at that minute I'm just trying to enjoy it. I'm watching our guys beat up on one of the best pitchers that we've ever seen in our lives. And watching them do it in the first game I've ever pitched in the playoffs.

At that moment I'm just trying to enjoy it, kind of take it all in, while also walking the fine line of, like you said, being able to stay focused, knowing that's a good team over there and they can put up a lot of runs in a hurry.

I couldn't enjoy it too much, but I tried to enjoy it as much as I could.

Q. How much did it weigh on your mind that you hadn't beaten the Dodgers and everybody's been asking you questions about this for a good part of the season, and even last time you came in here and you had kind of a clinker. Did that weigh at all, or do you just like block it out at this point?

MERRILL KELLY: I'd be lying if I didn't say zero. I wasn't thinking about it at all. I touched on it the other day when I did media or yesterday, whenever it was. I feel if I gave attention to those games from the past five years, obviously the numbers speak for themselves. I'm pretty sure it's 0-11 with almost a 6.

I felt if I gave those games any attention I was going out there behind the 8-ball before I even stepped on the mound.

I know -- I've watched baseball long enough. Obviously I haven't been in the playoffs in the big leagues but I've been in playoff situations in other scenarios in Korea and in Triple-A. Obviously not the same level, but I've recognized and I've watched enough games to know that anything can happen when you get to the playoffs. So that was my mentality is to try to change those fortunes.

Q. Do you considered this to be the most important game of your career at this point?

MERRILL KELLY: Yeah, probably the biggest. Obviously the Korean championship is a big one. That one we won the championship, so I would put it kind of close. But obviously the big leagues is where we all want to be. And the big league playoff is where we all strive to perform.

Q. You attacked the zone a lot. What was kind of -- what did work for you that allowed you to succeed against a lineup like this one that you haven't necessarily done in the past?

MERRILL KELLY: I'm going to piggyback on Torey and I'll -- hopefully I don't have to face them, but the chances of me having to face him again are pretty high. I'm probably not going to go too in depth on that.

But with how many games I've thrown against these guys, we took a look at all the pitches that I've thrown against them and how I've kind of gotten beat. And we wanted to -- if anytime to try to change something and do something different today was that day.

But I think the main reason why today ended up better than they have in the past is the aggressiveness in the zone and being able to get ahead of people and not try to nitpick and get behind them. That team over there, when you get behind them, they're really good at controlling the zone and not swinging at pitches out of the zone. I made it a point to be aggressive. And with that nine-run lead, it made it a lot easier to do that.

Q. How did today unfold for you, it being your first playoff start, what were the nerves like? How did you approach it? What was it like maybe in comparison to what you thought it might be like?

MERRILL KELLY: I don't know, I'm a pretty even-keeled guy, laid-back guy. I try not to put too much attention into things that I can't control. I try not to build things up bigger than what they are.

I tried to tell myself that it was just another game as much as I could. Obviously there's butterflies going out there in the first inning and warming up with the intros and everything that was going on.

My dad actually missed his flight this morning. So I had to kind of scramble, figure that part out. So I think maybe that might have been -- even though at the time I was a little pissed, I think that might have been a good distraction for me. So thanks, Dad, for not getting to the airport early enough. But I try to just stay as even as I can, and I think I did a pretty good job.

Q. Did he make it here on time?

MERRILL KELLY: Yes.

Q. Where was he flying from?

MERRILL KELLY: Phoenix.

Q. When you determine what pitches you're going to throw, it's based on the situation you're facing, the batter, the situation. So when you have 6-0 lead and 9-0 lead, does it change a bit the pitch selection as you go on; you might have thrown a different -- you might challenge a player a bit more or differently if it's a scoreless tie as opposed to having a 6-0, 9-0 lead?

MERRILL KELLY: Yeah, a little bit. And I think if anything it just allows me to be more aggressive with those certain pitches. The game plan stayed the same as far as the attack approach for each and every hitter, but that nine-run lead just gives me a little bit more confidence to execute each pitch, knowing even if I do give up a solo homer or two-run homer or three-run homer, we're still up by a lot of runs. So it makes it a lot more feasible.

Q. In other words, you know you can make a mistake, it makes you freer in some of your choices at that point?

MERRILL KELLY: Yes, that's a good way to put it, I would say.

Q. This is a memorable night for you for a lot of reasons, the fact you beat a Hall of Fame pitcher, one of the best in our generation, what's that add to the whole experience?

MERRILL KELLY: Yeah, definitely makes it a little bit sweeter. Warming up there, we were both long-tossing at the same time before we went to the bullpen. He kind of gave me a little acknowledgment. And I gave it back. Like you said, we've been watching him do it -- it's funny, we're the same age but I feel I've been watching him do it since I was little.

The fact that he's been around doing it as long as he has, his accolades, his career, record speaks for themselves. The fact I was able to square off against him -- coming into today I was excited about that, but being able to pitch the way I did and, like I said, our guys kind of jumped on him early, it was fun to watch.

Q. The cramping that you were experiencing earlier in the season, has that all dissipated now? You don't have that problem anymore? You've worked through it?

MERRILL KELLY: Yeah, I haven't felt it in I don't know how many games. Whenever that last time at home, I can't remember what date that was, but the last time at home that I came out of the game, that was the last time I felt it, whenever that was.

The temperatures have been dropping steadily since then so I think we're probably in the clear for that.