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AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX VS INDIANS

October 10, 2016

John Farrell

Boston, Massachusetts - Postgame three

Cleveland - 4

Boston - 3

Q. How disappointed were you with your offense that you weren't able to get things going like you did in the regular season?
JOHN FARRELL: Given how we performed as an offensive team throughout the year, and it's not to take anything away from their pitching, but I think there was no more than one run we were able to score in any one inning. The inability to string some hits together, generate the bigger inning, that wasn't there.

So that puts us in a spot where we are today.

Q. Can you explain the thinking behind the pinch-hitting for Benintendi and Brock earlier?
JOHN FARRELL: We were looking to matchup as best we can. Chris Young was brought in for that very reason against left-handed pitching. We're looking to match up to get the best advantage we can.

Q. Did you feel that your guys took too many strikes, especially when Tomlin was pitching, he was around the plate a lot?
JOHN FARRELL: There was some called strike 3's, with some fastballs late in the count. I thought he had a pretty good mixing going with the fastball, curveball, and his cutter. But I think it goes back to some of the offensive inconsistencies throughout this series. Sometimes in Game 1 we're overly aggressive; this game we know we've got a command and control guy on the mound, who's come into this game tonight having pitched extremely well.

Again, the inability to string some hits together.

Q. Understanding that you wanted to use Chris in that inning, why Benintendi as opposed to maybe somebody else later in the inning?
JOHN FARRELL: The number of pitches he's thrown, if we wait to get to Jackie in that inning, we may never get there. And then they're going to go to Shaw with the right-handers coming in the next inning. That's the shot we took with him. He draws the walk, starts with the potential of getting something going. Either Benintendi or Jackie is going to have to get an at-bat if that inning gets extended. But if it's not, not going to get left with the pinch hit starting the next inning, and then they go to Shaw to lead things off.

Q. What was the level of emotion like with David when he came out and he's in the dugout, can you describe that a little bit?
JOHN FARRELL: Yeah, you're thinking in the moment, is that the last time he runs off the field if we don't extend things. And the emotion at the time, we're 180 feet from tying that ballgame up. So the game was still very much in the balance. David was doing his best to get the crowd on their feet, which they responded really well. It's an exciting moment. Playoff baseball you're going to get some of those key and pivotal moments late in the ballgame, and that was one of them.

Q. Did you go into the series feeling like it was a series you should win?
JOHN FARRELL: I think we looked at every series with the ability to win. We feel like we've got a very good club. They pitched well. And some offensive opportunities that were there for us they made some key pitches, shut some things down.

Anytime you lose a series it's disappointing. You go along at about 100 miles an hour and all of a sudden the last out is recorded and you hit the wall and it stops abruptly, and what we feel right now.

Q. You had David up in key spots tonight. How much were you thinking that he was in the right spot, right time?
JOHN FARRELL: So many times you think the script is written. And he's just waiting to play his part. He gets a good line drive, sinking line drive that Davis makes a good running catch for the sacrifice fly. But I think there were a number of at-bats throughout these three games that he was in a pivotal moment. And I think the expectation so many years with David was there was going to be a big hit. And we were hopeful each time he was at the plate.

Q. Two things, do you believe you'll be back next year, and if so, how much are you looking forward to managing the team with the talent you have coming back?
JOHN FARRELL: I've not thought anything beyond today's game. And that's the approach I take every day, through 162 games and through the postseason. But given where this team finished last year, there's a lot for them to be proud of. We had a chance to talk right at the end of the ballgame, we're AL East Champions, and I know that doesn't mean much sitting right now. But there's been sizable progress made on the part of so many individual players for us as a team. This is a big stepping-stone for a lot of players in our clubhouse. This team is in very good shape as we move forward.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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