Q. Generally, what is the mindset, what is the vibe coming into a game today where you know you have to win?
JAKE CRONENWORTH: Yeah, I think you kind of nailed it. Everybody goes to sleep last night knowing that we've got to show up today and give it everything we've got from the first pitch to the last pitch.
I think that's what also makes these games great sometimes is everybody is pulling for each other and the group gets super, super close in situations like this, and I'm sure you'll see it throughout the game from the first pitch to the last pitch, and everybody is engaged and ready to go.
Q. You've played in a lot of these games in the last five, six years. What have you learned about what it takes to win them?
JAKE CRONENWORTH: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just don't put too much pressure on yourself, play free, have fun. Obviously every single pitch is important on the offensive side and defensive side, but we got here for a reason, and I think for guys to continue the play the way we've played.
Q. Thinking back to Game 2 against the Cardinals in 2020, obviously the home runs were huge, but what do you remember generally about what it was like on the field, in the dugout that night?
JAKE CRONENWORTH: Yeah, obviously the biggest difference was no fans, which I'm sure with fans that game would have been pretty incredible. But no, I think it showed obviously that group is very different from this group outside of a couple guys, but the resiliency and kind of what we were able -- in such a back-and-forth game -- not back and forth, just late, but back and forth early. It was big home run for them, big homer for us, big hit for them, big pitch for us, and we ended up coming out on top.
I think as we've seen and kind of what I answered A.J.'s question with, you saw the focus and the competitiveness from pitch 1 all the way to the end of that game.
Q. Dylan obviously has a unique ability on the mound. What sort of confidence does he give you guys as a team when he gets the ball?
JAKE CRONENWORTH: Yeah, I mean I think Dylan's repertoire speaks for itself, 97 to 100. And seemingly in big games, it seems to be 98 to 100 more often, great slider, the ability to punch guys out and kind of limit those big innings.
I think the confidence with him is through the roof. I think his ability to go out there and pound the zone today and keep those guys off balance and use his fastball is huge.
Q. Is it your expectation that you will not see a righty in this game, and how does that change your pregame preparation, being part of that pocket of lefties?
JAKE CRONENWORTH: Yeah, feels like I haven't seen a righty in the last three weeks (chuckling), but no, it goes back to the preparation piece, kind of looking at who you're going to face, see how they operated yesterday, you know, not just early in the game, but when Boyd came out and how they've matched up against us three there at the bottom, just seeing what they've got and how they're going to move forward after Kittredge comes out of the game.
Q. A number of your teammates have talked about this group's ability to keep things level, even in the regular season. There were ups, there were downs, but you end up with 90 wins. What do you think it is about this group in particular where you guys, especially considering the situation today, can keep things kind of level no matter what the situation is?
JAKE CRONENWORTH: Yeah, I think I feel like we've talked about it the last few weeks; it's the experience of the group. I said it last night, I was talking to A.J., and it seems like every single guy that's on this team right now and in the starting lineup has been in a situation like this in the postseason.
When you look at the regular season, too, the ups and downs, the super hot start, to cool off, then another hot stretch and then slow and then finish those last two series really, really well. I think it talks about the resiliency of the group, but more the experience.
I think we look at it and look up and down the roster and you've got guys with 10 years, 12 years, 5 years, 7 years, and I think the majority of the group can tap into that and look at today and feel comfortable and calm and just play our game.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports