Mariners - 3, Tigers 2 (15)
Q. Leo, congrats, man.
LEO RIVAS: Thank you.
Q. How has your journey to this point prepared you for the moment tonight, just always being ready when your name is called on?
LEO RIVAS: I mean, it's been a journey, like you say, you know? Just every day I take it as a new day here, just as my debut. So I just prepare for any situation, and thank God I just did it today.
Q. Just what is it about this team that brings out the best in you, especially after the nine years you spent in the Minors, the various stops you had? What is it about this team that you feel like makes you the player you are today?
LEO RIVAS: I feel like they make me feel like home here, though. So everybody has their backs here. So if it's not you, it's me, it doesn't matter. We just keep each other's back. So I'm just grateful for that.
Q. That was a long game. The crowd was in it. Even after the home run, the crowd was continuing to give energy. Can you just talk about the job that they did tonight?
LEO RIVAS: Yeah. It feels -- my experience feels like the ground was shaking every inning. It just feels amazing, feeling like that. So they've just got to keep bringing that every home game.
Q. Leo, did you -- when you go up there to pinch-hit, did you know that Dan was going to do the switch and pull Canzone? Did he give you a heads-up? How did you work?
LEO RIVAS: No, to be honest, I was ready to run for Polo on second. Then Manny came to the case, Hey, Papa, come here. Go get this guy.
I'm like, All right. I've got him.
Thank God I could have made it.
Q. So your first postseason at-bat, you thought you were going to go run, and then you --
LEO RIVAS: Yeah. So the situation, I was like, all right. Polo is on second. I might run for him. I don't know if I'm going to pinch-hit right now, but I was thinking of running more than pinch-hit. Then they just told me that, and I thought, let's go.
Q. Did you have time to check the scouting report or anything like that or hear what they had to say, or you just went?
LEO RIVAS: Yeah. Since the first inning, I just always check the report, especially of the lefties. So I was checking the report, that guy, actually, and I'm like, all right, let's see what he got. He's got a cutter, a changeup too. He hanged that changeup. Thank God he hanged it.
Q. You spent so much of your career pouring into other people, people who have come up. They've gone up before you to the big leagues. They call you Papa. How rewarding is it to now feel that being poured back into you, all that time you spent paying off, all that you gave other people you are now getting?
LEO RIVAS: All glory to God, you know? He knows what I've been through. I'm just happy for Him -- with Him, actually. Sorry. I'm just happy with God, you know, that He's been good for me, for my family too, that He keep me where I'm at right now. I'm just grateful, you know?
It's hard. It's hard to know everybody go all the way like that. Most of the people just give up. It's not easy. I tried -- I was thinking to give up back then also, but I'm just happy with the -- God, my family also. They keep me up.
Q. Leo, as far as your birthdays go, where does this rank?
LEO RIVAS: Best day ever. Best day ever. Yeah. Since I wake up today, I say to myself, it's going to be a good day, you know? It's going to be a great day to celebrate my birthday, and it's been so far a good day. Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports