Rangers' Jonah Heim defends ace Jordan Montgomery after World Series Game 2 loss: “I thought he pitched great"
Texas Rangers' catcher Jonah Heim backed fellow pitcher Jordan Montgomery's performance after the team's blowout loss against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. The Diamondbacks dominated the Rangers 9-1 in Game 2 of the World Series.
Despite his previous consistent postseason outings, Jordan Montgomery stumbled on the big stage. On Saturday he gave up four earned runs, nine hits and one walk across six innings.
Heim, however, defended his teammate in a post-game MLB.com interview with Kennedi Landry. He said:
"I thought he [Montgomery] pitched great, just pretty much one or two mistakes that hurt us, but other than that, I thought he pitched pretty well."
Montgomery's problems were clear, as he had no strikeouts and only two swings and misses. On the other hand, D-backs starter Merrill Kelly's outstanding play made Montgomery's struggles stand out the more. Kelly limited the Rangers to one run in seven innings.
When speaking with Kennedi Landry, Rangers' Marcus Semien emphasized Kelly's talent on the mound.
"He's a guy who can do a lot of things with the baseball — cut it, sink it, changeup. His fastball is good. You have to respect it," said Semien on Kelly.
While Jordan Montgomery was once considered a solid bet for Texas, his Game 2 outing raised concerns for the Rangers. The Diamondbacks' dominant performance has given them a decisive edge for what could be a crucial Game 3 at Chase Field.
After Jordan Montgomery's poor outing in World Series Game 2, Rangers look to bounce back vs. Diamondbacks
After a disheartening 9-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks in World Series Game 2, the Rangers will be hoping to bounce back in the next game. While starter Jordan Montgomery's less-than-stellar outing was a significant factor, the Rangers' usually potent offense also went unusually quiet.
The Rangers managed only four hits, one being a solo homer from Mitch Garver, while the rest were singles. It was a surprising lack of output from a team that led the AL in OPS during the regular season.
The Rangers look to turn the tide as they head into a crucial Game 3 matchup. All eyes will be on Max Scherzer, who gets the start against the Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt. Scherzer, a proven veteran, is expected to bring his A-game as the Rangers aim to make a statement in the series.