In the ninth inning of a tied game, with his employer—the Los Angeles Dodgers—looking to avoid a not-damaging-but-pretty-disappointing sweep at the hands of the Arizona Diamondbacks, manager Dave Roberts gave the ball to a right-handed flamethrower known for throwing flames.
Throw flames did he ever.
Topping out at 99 mph, national hero Joe Kelly employed an array of two-seam fastballs, knuckle curves, and one solitary changeup to induce a lineout from Ketel Marte (started the All-Star Game), a flyout from Eduardo Escobar (one of the better-hitting infielders in the league), and a soft lineout from Abraham Almonte (journeyman, not traditionally offensively effective).
It was a stirring performance, one that willed his team to a significant victory (in the moral sense—again, it meant very little in the standings). It was a phenomenon of divine significance, reminding us the bounds of mortals may not always be what we think. It was a reminder that as October approaches, Joe Kelly is ready to do this again and again.
Get ready, planet Earth. Joe Kelly Season approaches.
