World Series updates: Marte extends record hit streak; DBacks push lead to 7-1

After losing the opening game of the World Series in extra innings on Friday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks look to even things against Texas Rangers. Game 2 of the Fall Classic is 5 p.m. Saturday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and will be shown on Fox.

Ketel Marte sets MLB record with eighth inning single

ARLINGTON, Texas — When Ketel Marte grounded a single up the middle in the eighth inning of Game 2, he secured himself a niche place in baseball history. The single gave Marte a record 18-game postseason hitting streak. He has never failed to record a hit in a postseason game.

It was also a crucial piece of insurance for the Diamondbacks. Marte came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, with Arizona leading, 4-1. As the Diamondbacks showed in Game 1, a slim lead is not safe against this Rangers lineup.

But with Marte’s single, both Tommy Pham and Emmanuel Rivera came around to score, pushing the lead to 6-1. A batter later, Corbin Carroll added to the fun, scoring Geraldo Perdomo with a single as the Diamondbacks lead, 7-1.

Marte had gone 0 for 4 to start the game, putting his streak in peril. But with the Diamondbacks’ offense having burst out, he was guaranteed to get a fifth at-bat, and he took advantage.

Marte is now 21 for 63 (.333) in the playoffs. He has 12 singles, six doubles, a triple and two home runs. His only other postseason appearance was in 2017, when he went 7 for 17 in four games.

—Theo Mackie

Evan Longoria, Corbin Carroll extends DBacks' lead with singles

ARLINGTON, Texas — The top of the sixth inning ended in frustrating fashion for the Diamondbacks, with Tommy Pham picked off second base. But the offense carried the momentum created by Pham’s double into the seventh, when the Diamondbacks extended their lead in Game 2 to 4-1.

Alek Thomas led the inning off with his second base hit of the night, doubling to right-center field. He hit just .143 off lefties in the regular season but Torey Lovullo trusted him against Jordan Montgomery and Thomas rewarded his manager’s faith.

Thomas came around to score a batter later, when Evan Longoria hit a single under the glove of Josh Jung at third base. Corbin Carroll then ripped a single to left, plating Longoria after Geraldo Perdomo had bunted him into scoring position.

Marte's only other postseason appearance was in 2017, when he went 7 for 17 in four games.

—Theo Mackie

Rangers cut into DBacks lead with solo homer

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mitch Garver clubbed a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, cutting into the Diamondbacks’ lead over the Rangers in Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night. The Diamondbacks lead, 2-1.

The shot was the first bit of damage off Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly, who did not allow his first hit of the night until Evan Carter’s two-out single in the fourth.

Garver’s homer was his third of the postseason.

—Nick Piecoro

Gabriel Moreno launches solo homer as DBacks strike first

ARLINGTON, Texas — Gabriel Moreno battled through a lengthy at-bat against Rangers lefty Jordan Montgomery, which he capped off by launching a solo homer to left-center field with one out in the fourth, and the Diamondbacks added another run later in the inning on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s RBI single.

The Diamondbacks lead the Rangers, 2-0, as play continued in the fourth inning.

Moreno saw eight pitches in all, falling behind 1-2 before working the count full. The pitch he hit out was a 92.7 mph sinker over the heart of the plate. Moreno also had a seven pitch at-bat that ended in a popout in the first inning.

The Diamondbacks added another run when Tommy Pham shot a double to right and came home on Gurriel’s single to left.

Meanwhile, right-hander Merrill Kelly has retired each of the nine batters he has faced through three innings, striking out four.

—Nick Piecoro

Merrill Kelly in control early in Game 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Rangers’ potent lineup has been no issue for Merrill Kelly in the early part of Game 2. He has held them without a baserunner through two innings of a game that is scoreless.

In the first inning, Kelly struck Marcus Semien out swinging on a slider away and then got Evan Carter looking on a cutter at the bottom of the strike zone. Corey Seager, who hit the game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 1, popped out on a changeup. Another Game 1 hero, Adolís Garcia, bounced meekly to third base.

The Diamondbacks do have one hit, on a Tommy Pham infield single, but did not do anything with it. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. promptly grounded into a double play, erasing Pham.

—Theo Mackie

Center fielder Alek Thomas gets rare start vs. lefty in Game 2

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Diamondbacks are giving center fielder Alek Thomas a rare start against a left-handed pitcher, putting him in the lineup in the No. 7 spot against the Texas Rangers and lefty Jordan Montgomery for Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night.

“Just a lot of room out there in center field,” manager Torey Lovullo said. "I wanted to make sure we were going to be running some baseballs down. And he actually swung the bat OK against (Montgomery) back at home.

“I felt like when you’re fighting for every inch on a baseball field, you’ve got to lock down certain parts of it. Pitching and defense are certainly top priorities for us.”

While that makes sense on its own, it makes even more sense considering how little production the Diamondbacks have been getting from the right-handed option who would take Thomas’ place in the lineup. Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera started three games in the National League Championship Series and is just 2 for 12 this postseason.

Thomas hit just .143 against left-handed pitching this season. He got the nod against lefty Clayton Kershaw in the division series but was left on the bench against three left-handed starters in the NLCS.

—Nick Piecoro

World Series Game 2 pitching matchup

Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (2-1, 2.65) vs. Rangers LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-0, 2.16).

In Game 6 of the NLCS, Kelly won his rematch with Phillies RHP Aaron Nola, giving up one run in five innings in a game he departed with a 4-1 lead. … He has pitched at least five innings in each of his three postseason starts. His 6 1/3 innings in Game 1 of the division series against the Dodgers are the most a Diamondbacks starter has thrown this postseason. … He has faced the Rangers only once in his career, in 2020, and has limited or no experience against the majority of their regulars. … Montgomery threw 2 1/3 innings in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS after starting Games 1 and 5. Altogether, he allowed just two runs in 14 innings against the Houston Astros. … Montgomery faced the Diamondbacks twice this season. He was hit hard on April 18 while with the St. Louis Cardinals, giving up seven runs in four innings. He was dominant, however, on Aug. 21 while pitching for the Rangers, firing eight scoreless innings.

World Series schedule

Best-of-7, all games on Fox

Friday, Oct. 27:Rangers, Diamondbacks 5 (11 innings), Rangers lead series 1-0

Saturday, Oct. 28: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 5:03 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 30: Rangers at Diamondbacks, 5:03 p.m.: Rangers RHP Max Scherzer (0-1, 9.45) vs. Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (0-0, 2.70).

Tuesday, Oct. 31: Rangers at Diamondbacks, 5:03 p.m., pitchers TBA

x-Wednesday, Nov. 1: Rangers at Diamondbacks, 5:03 p.m.: Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-0, 2.42) vs. Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (2-2, 5.24) ... stats entering Friday.

x-Friday, Nov. 3: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 5:03 p.m.

x-Saturday, Nov. 4: Diamondbacks at Rangers, 5:03 p.m.

x-if necessary

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: World Series updates: Marte extends record hit streak; DBacks lead 7-1