Merrill Kelly strikes out season-high 11 as Diamondbacks blank Rockies

PHOENIX — Merrill Kelly’s best start of the season pushed the Arizona Diamondbacks past the Colorado Rockies, 1-0, for a series win on Sunday.

Kelly went seven innings deep for his second straight start and held his opponent scoreless for the first time in 2025. He allowed three walks over the first four innings but had a no-hit bid heading into the sixth inning.

Jordan Beck would double to lead off the inning, but that would be the only hit Kelly surrendered all afternoon.

His 11 strikeouts across 109 pitches were a season high.

His dominance was required for the win as both offenses were muted. Arizona and Colorado combined for just seven hits at Chase Field on Sunday after the first two games of the series saw 48 combined hits.

Manager Torey Lovullo said it was also critical given how the bullpen was taxed and how he felt like he was asking extra out of Kelly by keeping him in to pitch the seventh.

“What can I say about Merrill? He was fantastic,” Lovullo said postgame. “He was just dialing it up with his fastball, the cutter. He had life on his fastball all the way through those 100-plus pitches, really good changeup.”

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo says he’s proud of the team for getting a 1-0 victory on Sunday after the way Saturday's game unfolded. pic.twitter.com/887AoOXdcg

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Kelly wasn’t totally satisfied postgame with his outing, given the walks and how some hitters got ahead of him, but he admitted it was hard not to be pleased with the line.

Ketel Marte took 23-year-old rookie right-hander Chase Dollander 393 feet to right center in the first inning for his third home run in the last four games.

The Diamondbacks had a chance to pile on after the Marte homer, as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Josh Naylor each worked walks. However, sluggers Pavin Smith and Eugenio Suarez both struck out swinging.

Arizona would finish the game 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, with Marte accounting for half of the team’s hits.

“You don’t expect to win a game 1-0 when your second hitter hits a home run in the first inning of the game, but we did and I’m proud of these guys,” Lovullo said.

The manager added Arizona believes Dollander to have the best stuff of Colorado’s starters, and the uncertainty of him coming in with seven starts in his career and the Rockies having a new manager made the situation tough.

Diamondbacks’ bullpen gets out of a sticky situation

Kevin Ginkel needed 11 pitches to strike out two Rockies and get out of the eighth inning unscathed.

Shelby Miller found himself in trouble after allowing a single and double in the ninth followed by an intentional walk. An infield pop-up prevented a run via sac fly before the last man standing lined out to Geraldo Perdomo.

Lovullo said it’s the kind of situation that can be a mental boost going forward, given how some recent losses have slipped away from the club.

“I like a little bit of adversity. I like to see how the team responds to that, stay engaged and find your way out of a situation that looks a little desperate,” he said. “That tests your character, and I wanna see what your heartbeat looks like. … Shelby looked unfazed.”

The manager added he felt much more comfortable after the pop-up.

Diamondbacks hit the road vs. Dodgers

After salvaging the series win against one divisional rival, Arizona will hit the road to take on another.

The Diamondbacks will throw Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Corbin Burnes at the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning Monday night.

Catch the entire series on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app or online.

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