Dodgers - 8, Reds - 4
Q. You've been around a while -- great Red Sox teams, great Dodgers teams. Where do you rate this one? And how far do you think you can go?
MOOKIE BETTS: I mean, shoot, it's hard to kind of rank them. But obviously I know we can win the whole thing. We just have to play good baseball. We've got to continue to pitch, timely hitting and play defense, and everything should be okay.
Q. Is it fair to compare last year's team to this year's team?
MOOKIE BETTS: I mean, not really, just because it's two different teams. Last year we didn't have as much starting pitching. This year we have, we're pretty deep in starting pitching. Just different players. We brought back a lot of guys with the vibe. Everything is different, it's a different year. We're just enjoying where we are.
Q. Wanted to ask you, you guys went through adversity in the regular season and even in this series. How much is that a testament just to your guys' mental fortitude? And what things are going to be able to help you guys in the next series against the Phillies?
MOOKIE BETTS: We have went through a lot. We had a lot of struggles really all year. But I think we all view that as just a test to see how we would respond.
And so now we're starting to use those tests that we went through earlier to respond now and be ready now. And anything that comes our way, it can't be worse than what we've already went through. Just keeping a positive mindset and just keep going.
Q. Does tonight kind of become an example of that, just with the way the first inning started and having a deficit to overcome to chip away and build a lead in the middle innings?
MOOKIE BETTS: Absolutely. Going down quick there, especially the way it was there with an error like that, can really deflate you. But we've, like you said, we've been through so much that we know it's just a matter of time. We've just got to play, just gotta play -- one inning at a time, one pitch at a time. That's what I love about this team.
Q. With how difficult parts of the season were for you offensively, are you enjoying the success and the results you're getting here? Or is it kind of what you were searching for this year? What has this last couple of weeks, especially this week, the way you've performed, been like?
MOOKIE BETTS: It's been cool. It is what it is. I'm just happy that I can help the boys win, I can contribute. It's better late than never.
But it's just one of those things where you've just gotta keep going, man. I went through arguably one of the worst years of my career. But I think it really made me mentally tough. So now there's just a different level of focus. And it's not really on myself; it's more on winning the game.
Q. Sixth inning, bases loaded, how much confidence did you have in Yamamoto that he could survive that inning? And how big was that, and what did you see from behind?
MOOKIE BETTS: I think that was a tough situation. There were no outs, too. Really, at that point, we were just trying to limit it to one run. If he could get a punch-out right there, maybe we had a chance to get out of it with no runs.
But I was able to make a nice play there. Then he got the punch-out that we needed. Once he got the two outs, I think everybody, I think he kind of smelled blood right there and was able to attack and get the last -- I think it was a strikeout the last hitter there as well.
Q. In that inning, on that play, are you thinking at all to make a double play there? Or did you just go home straightaway?
MOOKIE BETTS: Man, honestly, I don't even know what happened. I just know I caught it and I threw it home. That's the first time I've kind of been in that situation. First time playing short in the playoffs, so there's different situations.
Maybe in the different regular season maybe my brain is go to second. I don't know. I know I just kind of reacted. I think that's why I've been able to play short, be comfortable out there, because I'm just kind of playing.
Q. They intentionally walked Shohei to get to you. They've done that a few times this year, other teams have. What goes through your mind in those situations?
MOOKIE BETTS: Nothing. I mean, I wouldn't let Shohei swing either. I understand. I expect the Phillies to do it. I expect for the rest of the postseason for it to happen. I know, I understand Shohei. I understand the situation of the game. So I just gotta be ready to do my thing.
Q. When someone asked Terry Francona earlier today before the game about walking Ohtani, he said, "Have you heard of guys named Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman?" But he was going over -- but yesterday they didn't walk Ohtani. And do you go up there, do you anticipate that is going to happen or do you just let it go?
MOOKIE BETTS: If there's a man on base and Shohei's up, I'm anticipating an intentional walk. So, if they do, cool, I'll be ready to go. If they don't, gotta deal with Shohei. Kind of it is what it is.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports