Don Kelly (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Donald Thomas Kelly is an American professional baseball
player infielder
with the Detroit Tigers
of Major League Baseball
. He is the only active player to have played every position on the field in the major leagues, including pitcher
.
, Pennsylvania
and played baseball at suburban Mt. Lebanon High School; in his senior year the team won the Class AAA state title. At Mount Lebanon, he regularly alternated between the two middle infield positions with Josh Wilson, another future major leaguer. He was not then considered a "draftable" player and attended Point Park College, a liberal arts college
in downtown Pittsburgh. Over three seasons he batted .413 and struck out just 20 times in over 500 at-bats. In the summer of 2000 Kelly played for the Petersburg Generals
of the Coastal Plain League
—a collegiate summer league. Kelly's collegiate performance prompted interest from major league teams and the Detroit Tigers
drafted him in the 8th round (237th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
. Detroit assigned him to the Low-A Oneonta Tigers
in the New York - Penn League
, where he batted .286 and struck out just sixteen times—second best in the league. Next year Detroit promoted him to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps
in the Midwest League
. There, Kelly continued to impress, and was named the starting shortstop
for the Eastern All-Stars in the league's mid-season All-Star game.
Kelly's versatility was first put to the test at the professional level when he was with the High-A Lakeland Tigers in 2003. He shifted to third base
when Anderson Hernández
replaced him at shortstop. Kelly eventually spent more time at first
and second base
after Ryan Raburn
took over at third. Kelly got off to a strong start: by mid-June his .363 average led the Florida State League
and the local Ledger
described him as a "slugger." Although his average eventually cooled to a still-respectable .317, Detroit promoted him in mid-season to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves
, where he joined fellow Pittsburgh native and future brother-in-law Matt Walker (brother of current Pittsburgh Pirates Neil Walker).
In 2004 Detroit invited Kelly to spring training
, and in his first at-bat in a spring training game Kelly hit a home run against his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates
. On March 17 Detroit optioned Kelly back to Erie, but he missed most of the season with an injured shoulder. Kelly returned to Erie in 2005 and picked up where he had left off, hitting .340 over 82 games. Baseball America
named Kelly the best-hitting prospect in the Eastern League. On June 30 Detroit promoted him to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
of the International League
, one step away from the majors.
Kelly played in 43 games for the Mud Hens in 2005 and batted .250, a tenure partially interrupted by a groin injury. Commented Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish
: "Hitting-wise, there's been a little bit of an adjustment for him here...He tore up Double-A, and here he's done alright. He's holding his own. But it's his first year here, and he's still going through a learning process." In the off-season Kelly played for the Mesa Solar Sox
of the Arizona Fall League
. In 2006 Kelly almost made the major league team out of spring training but instead returned to Toledo. Detroit manager Jim Leyland
said "When push came to shove, he ran into a numbers game." At Toledo Kelly's numbers fell off; Detroit demoted him to Erie after hitting .228. At Erie his numbers improved to .272, but at the end of the season Detroit removed Kelly from their 40-man roster, making him a free agent.
, Kelly's hometown team, signed him to a minor league contract on December 14, 2006. He made the major league team as a utility player, filling in at second base, shortstop, and left
and right field
. His major league debut came on April 2, 2007 in a season-opening 4–2 victory over the Houston Astros
at Minute Maid Park
. As a pinch hitter for Dámaso Marté
, Kelly popped out to the shortstop to end the Pirates' half of the ninth inning
. He finished the game at second base.
On May 9, he broke up a perfect game
by Jason Marquis
in the sixth inning with a single.
Kelly played sparingly, amassing 27 at-bats over 25 games and hitting .148, before Pittsburgh designated him for assignment
on June 12 to make room for Dan Kolb
. Kelly cleared waivers and joined the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians
on June 23. Kelly finished out the season with Indianapolis, batting .247 and playing both shortstop and in the outfield. Pittsburgh granted Kelly free agency at the end of the season.
and spent the entire 2008 season with the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders
, where he batted .275 but never made it with the major league club and was granted free agency at the end of the season.
with the Tigers. Following spring training Kelly rejoined the Mud Hens, with whom he had last played in 2006. On June 11, 2009 the Tigers called Kelly up to the major league club to replace outfielder Clete Thomas
. Kelly played his first game for Detroit against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, his former club. After going hitless in his first game, he hit a 2-RBI single and a double against Pittsburgh, obtaining his first major league extra base hit and RBIs.
In his first two seasons with the Tigers, Kelly added first and third base and center field
to the positions he has played in the majors. He was called on to pitch with two out
s in the top of the ninth inning after manager
Jim Leyland
thoroughly depleted his bullpen
in a 16–9 defeat to the New York Mets
at Comerica Park
on June 29, 2011. Throwing only five pitches, he used a curveball
to get Scott Hairston
to fly out to center fielder Austin Jackson
. Kelly was the first position player to pitch in a game for the Tigers since Shane Halter
did it in October 2000. He reached the milestone of having played every position on the field in his major league career in a 15–3 loss at home to the San Francisco Giants
three nights later on July 2. He entered the contest at the start of the fourth inning, replacing starting catcher
Víctor Martínez who had left the game with a bruise
d right shoulder
.
In the decisive Game 5 of the 2011 American League Divisional Series against the New York Yankees, Kelly belted a first-inning solo home run off Ivan Nova
into the right field seats at Yankee Stadium to give the Tigers a 1–0 lead, one which they never relinquished. Detroit went on to win the game, 3–2, and moved on to face the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series.
. He married Carrie Walker on January 13, 2007; his brothers-in-law include Pittsburgh Pirates
infielder Neil Walker
and former minor leaguer Matt Walker; his father-in-law is former major league pitcher Tom Walker
. His sister Ashlee was a standout women's basketball player for Quinnipiac
and the Northeast Conference
Player of the Year in 2003. After spending three years as head women's basketball coach at Mercy College
, she was named assistant coach at Iona College
on July 1, 2009.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He is the only active player to have played every position on the field in the major leagues, including pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
.
Career
Kelly was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of ButlerButler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and played baseball at suburban Mt. Lebanon High School; in his senior year the team won the Class AAA state title. At Mount Lebanon, he regularly alternated between the two middle infield positions with Josh Wilson, another future major leaguer. He was not then considered a "draftable" player and attended Point Park College, a liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
in downtown Pittsburgh. Over three seasons he batted .413 and struck out just 20 times in over 500 at-bats. In the summer of 2000 Kelly played for the Petersburg Generals
Petersburg Generals
The Petersburg Generals are an amateur baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer baseball league. The team plays its home games at the Petersburg Sports Complex in Petersburg, Virginia. The Generals first started participating in the Coastal Plain League in 2000...
of the Coastal Plain League
Coastal Plain League
The Coastal Plain League is a wood-bat collegiate summer league, featuring college players from throughout the nation. The league takes its name from a Class D minor league baseball league which operated in the same area from 1937 to 1952. The modern league was formed with six teams in 1997...
—a collegiate summer league. Kelly's collegiate performance prompted interest from major league teams and the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
drafted him in the 8th round (237th overall) of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft
2001 Major League Baseball Draft
-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Selections:-Background:The Minnesota Twins selected St. Paul, MN native Joe Mauer with the number one pick in the 2001 draft. The 18-year-old Mauer, a catcher from Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, became the seventh Minnesotan to be...
. Detroit assigned him to the Low-A Oneonta Tigers
Oneonta Tigers
The Oneonta Tigers were a minor league baseball team located in Oneonta, New York. They were members of the New York - Penn League. The Tigers were the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and played their home games at Damaschke Field...
in the New York - Penn League
New York - Penn League
The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early...
, where he batted .286 and struck out just sixteen times—second best in the league. Next year Detroit promoted him to the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps
West Michigan Whitecaps
The West Michigan Whitecaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids.-Franchise history:...
in the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. There, Kelly continued to impress, and was named the starting shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Eastern All-Stars in the league's mid-season All-Star game.
Kelly's versatility was first put to the test at the professional level when he was with the High-A Lakeland Tigers in 2003. He shifted to third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
when Anderson Hernández
Anderson Hernández
Anderson Hernández is a middle infielder in Anderson Hernández is a middle [[infielder]] in Anderson Hernández is a middle [[infielder]] in [[Major League Baseball]...
replaced him at shortstop. Kelly eventually spent more time at first
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
after Ryan Raburn
Ryan Raburn
Ryan Neil Raburn is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers. Though primarily an outfielder, Raburn can also play third base, second base, first base, and catcher....
took over at third. Kelly got off to a strong start: by mid-June his .363 average led the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
and the local Ledger
The Ledger
The Ledger is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida and the Polk County area. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Jerome Ferson became publisher of the newspaper on July 30, 2007....
described him as a "slugger." Although his average eventually cooled to a still-respectable .317, Detroit promoted him in mid-season to the Double-A Erie SeaWolves
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....
, where he joined fellow Pittsburgh native and future brother-in-law Matt Walker (brother of current Pittsburgh Pirates Neil Walker).
In 2004 Detroit invited Kelly to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, and in his first at-bat in a spring training game Kelly hit a home run against his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. On March 17 Detroit optioned Kelly back to Erie, but he missed most of the season with an injured shoulder. Kelly returned to Erie in 2005 and picked up where he had left off, hitting .340 over 82 games. Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
named Kelly the best-hitting prospect in the Eastern League. On June 30 Detroit promoted him to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, one step away from the majors.
Kelly played in 43 games for the Mud Hens in 2005 and batted .250, a tenure partially interrupted by a groin injury. Commented Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish
Larry Parrish
Larry Alton Parrish is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and right-handed batter who played with the Montreal Expos , Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox...
: "Hitting-wise, there's been a little bit of an adjustment for him here...He tore up Double-A, and here he's done alright. He's holding his own. But it's his first year here, and he's still going through a learning process." In the off-season Kelly played for the Mesa Solar Sox
Mesa Solar Sox
The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona at HoHoKam Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs....
of the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
. In 2006 Kelly almost made the major league team out of spring training but instead returned to Toledo. Detroit manager Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
said "When push came to shove, he ran into a numbers game." At Toledo Kelly's numbers fell off; Detroit demoted him to Erie after hitting .228. At Erie his numbers improved to .272, but at the end of the season Detroit removed Kelly from their 40-man roster, making him a free agent.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Kelly's hometown team, signed him to a minor league contract on December 14, 2006. He made the major league team as a utility player, filling in at second base, shortstop, and left
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
. His major league debut came on April 2, 2007 in a season-opening 4–2 victory over the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
at Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park
Minute Maid Park is a ballpark in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States that opened in 2000 to house the Major League Baseball Houston Astros....
. As a pinch hitter for Dámaso Marté
Dámaso Marté
Dámaso Marté Sabinon is a Dominican Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Seattle Mariners , Pittsburgh Pirates , and Chicago White Sox .-Seattle Mariners:...
, Kelly popped out to the shortstop to end the Pirates' half of the ninth inning
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
. He finished the game at second base.
On May 9, he broke up a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
by Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
in the sixth inning with a single.
Kelly played sparingly, amassing 27 at-bats over 25 games and hitting .148, before Pittsburgh designated him for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
on June 12 to make room for Dan Kolb
Dan Kolb
Daniel Lee Kolb is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Kolb has played with the Texas Rangers , Atlanta Braves , Milwaukee Brewers , and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.-Career:...
. Kelly cleared waivers and joined the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
on June 23. Kelly finished out the season with Indianapolis, batting .247 and playing both shortstop and in the outfield. Pittsburgh granted Kelly free agency at the end of the season.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Kelly signed a minor league contract with the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
and spent the entire 2008 season with the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders
Tucson Sidewinders
The Tucson Sidewinders were a minor league baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona. The team, which played in the Pacific Coast League, was the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major-league club....
, where he batted .275 but never made it with the major league club and was granted free agency at the end of the season.
Back to the Tigers
In 2009 Kelly signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Tigers. Following spring training Kelly rejoined the Mud Hens, with whom he had last played in 2006. On June 11, 2009 the Tigers called Kelly up to the major league club to replace outfielder Clete Thomas
Clete Thomas
Michael Clete Thomas is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.-Career:...
. Kelly played his first game for Detroit against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, his former club. After going hitless in his first game, he hit a 2-RBI single and a double against Pittsburgh, obtaining his first major league extra base hit and RBIs.
In his first two seasons with the Tigers, Kelly added first and third base and center field
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
to the positions he has played in the majors. He was called on to pitch with two out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
s in the top of the ninth inning after manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
thoroughly depleted his bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
in a 16–9 defeat to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
at Comerica Park
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
on June 29, 2011. Throwing only five pitches, he used a curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
to get Scott Hairston
Scott Hairston
Scott Alexander Hairston is an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Hairston bats and throws right-handed.-High school years:...
to fly out to center fielder Austin Jackson
Austin Jackson
Austin Jarrell Jackson is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball...
. Kelly was the first position player to pitch in a game for the Tigers since Shane Halter
Shane Halter
Shane David Halter is a former Major League Baseball infielder/outfielder and right-handed batter.-High school years:...
did it in October 2000. He reached the milestone of having played every position on the field in his major league career in a 15–3 loss at home to the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
three nights later on July 2. He entered the contest at the start of the fourth inning, replacing starting catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Víctor Martínez who had left the game with a bruise
Bruise
A bruise, also called a contusion, is a type of relatively minor hematoma of tissue in which capillaries and sometimes venules are damaged by trauma, allowing blood to seep into the surrounding interstitial tissues. Bruises can involve capillaries at the level of skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle,...
d right shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
.
In the decisive Game 5 of the 2011 American League Divisional Series against the New York Yankees, Kelly belted a first-inning solo home run off Ivan Nova
Iván Nova
Iván Manuel Nova Guance is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.-Career:Nova was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Yankees in 2004. At the end of the 2008 season, Nova had not advanced beyond Class-A Advanced, where he pitched for the Tampa Yankees...
into the right field seats at Yankee Stadium to give the Tigers a 1–0 lead, one which they never relinquished. Detroit went on to win the game, 3–2, and moved on to face the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series.
Personal
Kelly resides in the Pittsburgh suburb Wexford, PennsylvaniaWexford, Pennsylvania
Wexford is an unincorporated community in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The area known as Wexford is split among multiple municipalities, including Franklin Park, McCandless, Pine Township, and Marshall Township...
. He married Carrie Walker on January 13, 2007; his brothers-in-law include Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
infielder Neil Walker
Neil Walker (baseball)
Neil Martin Walker is an American professional baseball second and third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball...
and former minor leaguer Matt Walker; his father-in-law is former major league pitcher Tom Walker
Tom Walker (1970s pitcher)
Robert Thomas Walker is a former professional baseball pitcher. Walker pitched all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1972 until 1977, for the Montreal Expos, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals and California Angels....
. His sister Ashlee was a standout women's basketball player for Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac University is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in Hamden, Connecticut, United States at the foot of Sleeping Giant State Park...
and the Northeast Conference
Northeast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
Player of the Year in 2003. After spending three years as head women's basketball coach at Mercy College
Mercy College (New York)
Mercy College is a private, non-profit liberal arts college with its main campus in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and satellite locations throughout southeastern New York, including the Bronx, Manhattan, White Plains and Yorktown...
, she was named assistant coach at Iona College
Iona College (New York)
Iona College is located in New Rochelle, New York, 20 miles north of Manhattan in suburban Westchester County. The college occupies 35 acres on North Ave. The college also operates a Graduate Center in Pearl River, Rockland County, New York....
on July 1, 2009.