Dodgers - 5, Phillies - 3
Q. Take me through, obviously we've talked about the history, Shohei's done so much of this. What was it like seeing him do this, actually accomplish it, the nine strikeouts, playing this full game, still active on both ends? He talked about just now that this is who he is. But what is that like to see anew?
DAVE ROBERTS: It's certainly never been done, certainly at this level. I think it just really speaks to, I use the word compartmentalize a lot. But this epitomizes compartmentalizing. He's essentially two people in one night, in one game.
To kind of look at the at-bats that he took tonight and how he struggled offensively, but to separate that and just be a pitcher, and weather that inning. And to go out there and give us six innings, keep us in the ball game, I just don't know any human that can manage that, those emotions and how do you not take that to the mound? So, yeah, we continue to just witness history.
Q. Just related to that, the decision you're making, two runners on, already down 3-0, didn't look like there was even a (indiscernible), seemed like you were just going with him in that spot. Can you go through what you were thinking in that moment?
DAVE ROBERTS: I felt he was just getting better as the night went on. I thought he was the best option, and nothing that I was seeing showed a drop-off. And so if he could chew up a couple more innings, I felt it would help us tonight and the games going forward.
So, yeah, and that next inning -- after six I felt the stress before, all that stuff. I felt his job was done, but also given it was his first playoff game. But I felt really confident in him getting through six for us.
Q. Glasnow to Vesia to Sasaki, how close to your plan was that? And can we call Sasaki the closer now?
DAVE ROBERTS: I don't know how close it was. I felt good with Glas tonight in some capacity, given that he's going to start a potential Game 4.
I felt good about Vesia in some capacity tonight.
And with Roki, I just felt that the lane right there, you know, asking Alex to do an up/down, I just felt comfortable with him right there.
Honestly, I could have went to a couple other guys in those spots. But just kind of knowing who I've got, I felt good about those guys we ran out there.
Q. Realmuto's ball that went to the wall for a triple, didn't look like Teoscar did a great effort to cut it off. What did you think of the play?
DAVE ROBERTS: I've got to look at it again. I would argue that he wasn't not trying. But, yeah, that's a ball that you don't want Realmuto to have a triple, certainly a short right field.
But I will say on that Harper ball, he made the adjustment himself, him and Deano, to cheat to the line, to go against their rec, to kind of play something -- if Glas hangs a breaking ball because that would have scored a runner.
He did a good job getting that ball, getting the ball in. And obviously -- that was a big play and obviously with the three strikeouts and to come up with a huge hit and to kind of keep that out of his mind was huge for us.
Q. With the pen, was there the scenario let's say that second inning for Glas had been quick, he could have gone out for a third inning to close out the game there?
DAVE ROBERTS: Yes, there was. Not that the second inning was bad, there was a walk in there, then the Harper seeing-eye grounder, then the other walk, I felt that's what cost them. Then I have to make a decision.
I just felt that Alex is used to coming into spots. That's why I decided to go. But, yeah, if it would have been a cleaner inning, I was certainly thinking about running him back out there.
Q. And also just the fact that tonight, Ohtani was good but not great pitching-wise, that second inning. The fact he struck out four times tonight. The fact you that you guys were still able to win the game, how important was that?
DAVE ROBERTS: It was huge. He's not always going to be perfect. But I do feel that him giving up the three and to still go out there and give us six innings -- so, five innings tonight he threw shutout baseball -- was huge. So it's a quality start for him. He gets the win.
And this team's done it a lot. Different guys pick each other up. Tommy continues to do his thing. And Andy, after getting robbed, gets a big hit to start a inning. Alex Call, when called upon, takes two good at-bats. And we got Will Smith in the game, gets on base.
Just everyone collectively -- and also you get a starter who has never come out of the pen and comes out and gives us a solid effort. Great team win.
Q. You said in September that when Teo was struggling, one of the things you were looking to see from him was more edge. Have you been seeing more edge recently? If so, when did that start?
DAVE ROBERTS: It started after that series in Colorado. I think that's when he kind of really turned it on, and it's a long season for all these guys. But I felt that that's the point where he was, like, you know what, I've got to be better, I gotta play better, I gotta play better defense, I've got to dial up the offense. And the offense has really ratcheted it up in September, though.
Q. Is that something he said or just something you saw from him?
DAVE ROBERTS: It was something he said. We talked about it. And he delivered.
Q. You hear in sports about guys coming through in the clutch, being clutch athletes. Kiké seems to be that the last month or so. Is that accurate? And if so, how would you describe kind of what he's doing?
DAVE ROBERTS: I think that's applicable to every postseason. I mean, the numbers don't lie. In the postseason, he just performs. He had a good last three or four games to finish out the season. But again, once the postseason hits, he just ratchets it up a couple other levels.
Q. What was the process behind telling Shohei to take his time at the plate in the ninth inning?
DAVE ROBERTS: I was just trying to buy a little bit more time for Roki. They put Wilson in Sosa's spot. Knew they probably couldn't hit for Kepler. Wes was already out on the field. Just kind of weighing my options on, does Vesia go back out there and have Treinen behind him. And ultimately I decided to go with Roki, so I felt we just needed to buy some more time.
Q. What did you see from Will Smith once he got in the game, both the at-bats he was taking and behind the plate?
DAVE ROBERTS: Behind the plate, he was great. I thought, you know, Sanchez pitched him tough that first at-bat and then he got the hit-by-pitch, and then you've got to face Duran. It was just good to get him in there, get his feet wet, get him back in the game.
Q. And is the plan for him to start Game 2 or is that more...
DAVE ROBERTS: Still up in the air. We might run the same playbook, or we could start him. But I think for me, just kind of seeing how he comes in tomorrow.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports