D-backs' Merrill Kelly clarifies Phillies crowd remark after NLCS Game 2 loss: "Snippet was taken out of context"
After the 10-0 NLCS Game 2 loss to the Phillies, Diamondbacks' ace Merrill Kelly clarified his earlier viral remarks about the Philly crowd. He stated that his comments from an interview on Monday were taken out of context on social media.
Kelly had previously commented on the atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park before the NLCS series got underway. The veteran pitcher discussed it in a post-game interview on Tuesday with the PHNX Diamondbacks, where he said:
"Obviously it [Game 2] didn’t go our way, but like I said previously in that [Monday's] interview before that little snippet was taken out of context and made into something it was maybe more than it should have been — I said that from the very start."
The atmosphere at Phillies' Citizens Bank Park is renowned for its intensity. After Kelly's comments on Monday, the stadium seemed to reverberate as fans showed up in hordes.
Later, Merrill Kelly cleared any misunderstandings in the post-game interview regarding his earlier statements. He said:
“Whether it's 45,000 people cheering for you or against you, that's kinda what gets us going."
He asserted that playing away against the Phillies was "fun" and praised the Phillies fans for their energy.
“I knew these fans would bring a ton of energy, they love their Phillies, so it’s nothing I didn’t know going into the game. … It was definitely loud," Kelly said on Tuesday, after the loss.
What did Diamondbacks' ace Merrill Kelly previously say about the atmosphere in Citizens Bank Park?
The viral snippet in question arose from an interview on Monday before NLCS Game 1. Merrill Kelly had been asked if his 2023 World Baseball Classic experience had prepared him for the raucous postseason atmosphere in Philadelphia.
In the Monday interview, he said:
“I haven’t obviously heard this place [Citizens Bank Park] on the field, but I would be very surprised if it trumped that Venezuela game down in Miami."
He was referring to the overwhelming atmosphere of the 2023 WBC game against Venezuela where Trea Turner hit a massive grand slam.
"When Trea hit that grand slam, I don't think I've ever experienced — at least baseball-wise — an atmosphere like that, so I hope that this isn't louder than that," eKelly had said.
Phillies' Trea Turner responded to Merrill Kelly's comments before Tuesday's game. He said:
"I think this [Citizens Bank Park] one is just different. It’s more hostile and a little more engaging. I wouldn’t put anything past our fans"
After two home wins in the NLCS, the Phillies look to be in a comfortable spot in the best-of-seven series.
In Game 3, the Diamondbacks have selected Brandon Pfaadt as their starting pitcher. On the other hand, the Phillies will start Ranger Suarez.