Merrill Kelly outlasts Zac Gallen but D-backs win in duel of former locker mates

Longtime Arizona Diamondbacks teammates Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly faced each other for the first time in their careers on Wednesday, and while the now-Texas Rangers pitcher lasted longer, the D-backs came out ahead.

Because Texas led 3-2 when Gallen exited, Kelly will maintain his sole position as third in Diamondbacks history for pitcher wins (62). Gallen sits one win behind.

The D-backs had the last laugh as Ketel Marte smashed a go-ahead, three-run home run with two outs in the ninth to give the D-backs a 6-4 lead and the win.

You wanted to face Ketel Marte. You sure about that? pic.twitter.com/QRZPuBemdb

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 13, 2025

After two strikeouts to start the inning, James McCann launched a homer to left field to cut the Rangers’ lead to one run.

Blaze Alexander was hit by a pitch and Geraldo Perdomo drew a walk to set up Marte’s moonshot to right center.

In the first inning, Marte became the first Diamondback to get a hit against their former teammate, Kelly, and Gallen surrendered the game’s first run when Evan Carter singled home Josh Smith. Kelly responded with a clean second inning before Gallen allowed a walk but no other baserunners.

Marte showed the first inning was no fluke when he had an RBI single to score Perdomo, who had worked a walk and a steal against a pitcher with whom he had numerous mound visits over the years.

Marte finished 3-for-3 against Kelly with the RBI.

Texas pounced on Gallen in the fourth inning, when Jake Burger launched a 434-foot home run to score two runs and give the Rangers a 3-1 lead.

Gallen pitched just one more inning to finish the day with three earned runs on five hits and two walks in five innings.

Kelly, meanwhile, had a clean sixth inning to finish a two-run, seven-hit and five-strikeout performance against the club he pitched his first 162 games for.

Andrew Saalfrank came on in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

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