It’s been a while since Joe Kelly’s had to work out of a jam in a close game. Yet, as one of the Dodgers’ best bullpen arms, it’s likely he’ll have to do this in a few weeks, when October begins. Knowing this, our hero spent last night tuning himself up for the task.
It was the seventh inning, and the Dodgers trailed the Giants one to nothing. Kelly was facing the pinch-hitting Corban Joseph, with the top of the order on deck.
To give himself a bit of a challenge, he walked Joseph. Then, using dazzling knuckle curves and a blazing fastball, he struck rookie phenom Mike Yastrzemski out on just three pitches.
Kelly wasn’t done, though.
He needed more pressure.
So, he walked Brandon Belt, bringing Evan Longoria to the plate with only one out and runners on first and second. The stakes were now high. Kelly needed an out to keep his team in this.
On the second pitch of the at-bat, he got two of them.
Yes, after pitching himself into a little bit of trouble, to be reminded how it felt, Joe Kelly induced a double play, sending the Dodgers happily to the bottom half. It was, as it so often is, a scoreless inning. His ERA resumed its downward descent. Another step of playoff preparation was cleanly completed.
