Last night’s World Series Game 2 was a reminder of two things.

One, why Arizona is the best team in the National League.

Two, the Rangers bullpen.

The Rangers threw the best they have at the Diamondbacks in starter Jordan Montgomery. He threw seventy-five pitches. The Diamondbacks swung and missed at zero of them. Six innings, no strikeouts. Not a single swing and miss. This is a team hit everything. They put the ball in play. They bunt runners over. They steal. They execute sac flies. They are experts at playing a brand of baseball the Rangers haven’t encountered this season.

And when it was time to remove Montgomery, in the seventh with one run already across, the third run of the game for Arizona, and a runner at first, the Rangers bullpen had to keep it close. Andrew Heaney allowed another run to score. Chris Stratton came in and allowed a run. And Martin Perez allowed four.

In the end, it was a beatdown. Arizona 9, Texas 1. 

The Rangers ran into Arizona’s ace, Merrill Kelly, who allowed just one run, with the Rangers getting just four hits the entire night.

The Rangers ran into Arizona’s small ball mastery. One home run, three doubles, and twelve singles.

And the Rangers ran into two devastating bullpens: Arizona’s and their own.

*****

Game 3: Monday, October 30, at Arizona, 7:03 p.m.
Game 4: Tuesday, October 31, at Arizona, 7:03 p.m.
Game 5: Wednesday, November 1, at Arizona, 7:03 p.m.

Game 6*: Friday, November 2, at Texas, 7:03 p.m.
Game 7*:Saturday, November 3, at Texas, 7:03 p.m.