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NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DODGERS VS CUBSOctober 20, 2016Addison RussellJon LesterJavier BaezLos Angeles, California - Postgame 5 Cubs - 8, Dodgers - 4 Q. Jon, they were trying to get to you a little bit and you seemed to get really fired up about it. I want to know if you think getting fired up helped you tonight? JON LESTER: I just get fired up getting outs. I don't care how it happens. So obviously not a great way to start the game with a walk. You know, just especially after we score one run in the beginning of the game. We can't allow free base runners, especially with what they're trying to do up there. I was just happy to get out of that inning more than anything. I play this game with emotion, and if it rubs people the wrong way, oh well. Q. Jon, team is one win away from the World Series. You've been on teams that have been in this position. What advice do you have to the guys in the clubhouse or do they need advice in this situation? JON LESTER: They don't need anything, man. These guys have been doing this all year. I don't even know why I'm up here with these guys. These guys won the game for us tonight. I was just kind of along for the ride. So obviously we all know what we have in front of us with Kershaw going into Game 6. And we're going to do the same thing we've done all year, show up on -- what is it? I don't even know what today is -- show up on Saturday and be ready to play and give it our best. Hopefully he's not the good Kershaw, and we get kind of the mediocre guy that gives up a few runs and we're able to hold them where they're at. Q. Javy, you've had such an outstanding postseason that maybe Cubs fans got a little bit worried there after you pulled up at second base. Did you tweak or hurt anything on that double, and are you okay now? JAVIER BAEZ: No, I'm good. I just think I overun a little bit. I saw Puig bobble the ball, and I was trying to go three. I was just trying to run a little bit harder than I do. I felt something in my ankle, but I'm fine. 100%. Q. Between the dancing off the bases and the bunts and things like that, was there anything in particular that seemed to get you agitated about that? JON LESTER: No, I mean, it is what it is. People have been doing it all year. I just got done saying earlier, I'd prefer Adrian Gonzalez and Joc Pederson to try to bunt. They're home run guys. They hit 30 homers, so I'd rather them put the ball on the ground and let these guys try to field it and take my chances that way. Q. Javy, with the way you guys have been hitting the last two games and scoring runs, do you feel like there's any pitcher that can beat you guys right now, or do you have that kind of unbeatable feeling? JAVIER BAEZ: Well, you know, I think anybody in our lineup can turn the game our way. When Riz and Addie didn't start hot, everybody was asking about them. And there you have it. They're both hot now. And we scored a lot of runs for our pitchers. Q. Addison, another night, another huge home run and a big situation breaking up a really tight game. Can you describe the play and your emotion at that time? ADDISON RUSSELL: Heading into the sixth inning, Skip, that's all he wants is people on base, and we got people on base. Right there, that situation, just trying not to do too much. I was just trying to find some gaps. I was looking for something up in the zone to drive. First pitch slider a little bit low. Second pitch was a slider, but it was elevated and I put the barrel on it, and it kind of went. But just rounding bases it was pretty exciting. Pumped up. Not only for myself, but for the team and that little cushion that Jonny had to go forward from that, and I felt really good. Q. Jon, knowing how you guys position against Adrian Gonzalez, when that bunt got past you, did you think that it was going to be a hit? And just in general, the fielding that you guys have had in this series, how much of a difference has that been? JON LESTER: Oh, I don't think it's just this series. We've been doing it all year. That's a testament to these guys and our coaching staff by putting these guys in the right spots and just letting talent take over. Usually when the ball's hit at Javy, I don't really worry too much. Luckily he hit it just hard enough for Adrian to not beat it out, and Javy makes a great play. I mean, these guys have been doing it all year. Our outfielders are unbelievable at reading at-bats and making sure they're in the at-bat with us. And our infielders have saved our butt more times than not. And that's what makes us a great unit, you know. We've got guys that have swing-and-miss stuff. And we've got guys like Kyle that wants you to hit the ball and put it in play, and these guys make the play every time. Q. Jon, you look to your right, you've got a 22-year-old shortstop, a 23-year-old second baseman on your left. The bigger the stage, the bigger the moment almost for these guys. Has it gotten to the point where it's almost old hat and age is just a number? We've talked so much about the youth, but it's not a surprise anymore? JON LESTER: I think now, yeah. I think last year may have -- you'd have to ask these guys how they felt. But I think that may have gotten the best of us a little bit. Just with guys, you talk about guys' first full seasons. You know, I remember my first full season playing in September and going into October. It's a different feeling. You're used to having that month off in the Minor Leagues. So I think last year was just an adjustment period for a lot of guys, and look where we got. That's pretty impressive. So for this year for guys to come into Spring Training and just feel comfortable -- he's our everyday shortstop coming into Spring Training. This guy's on the roster no matter what in Spring Training. So I think all those things, you add them up and it's a comfort level for all of us. We've played however many games together. So we all know each other. We all know what makes us tick. I think that just made us a better unit coming into this year and to this point. Q. Addison, you missed the NLCS last year and you got off to a slow start in the playoffs this year. After what you did yesterday, was it easy? Did you get a better night's sleep last night and coming to the ballpark just a little more confident? ADDISON RUSSELL: Definitely. I feel like my at-bats haven't been that bad this whole postseason, but you stick to your work ethic and you believe in yourself and you stay confident. There's a little frustration there, but it's a different type of frustration. It's a frustration where you know you have the stuff to get the job done, but you want to help produce for your team and for your offense. And that's where I was kind of struggling a little bit with that frustration. But my confidence was up, and last night was a great night, pushing me forward to today, and just tried to carry it over to Saturday. Q. This is kind of touching on the experience that you just answered a little bit. But as much postseason play as you've been in, to be with a team that has the young, the energy, the youth, the young legs, how much of an edge is that when you're playing your 175th game of the year or 170th game of the year? Just for October to have that young energy? JON LESTER: Yeah, absolutely. I think really at this point in time, if you played a full season, we all kind of feel the same, regardless of age. But if that does help us in any way, that's great. I think the biggest thing for us is a lot of us, we all have kind of the same mindset. We don't really care, we're out there just playing hard and trying to make it to tomorrow. I think that goes back to day one with Joe, back last year. Hey, let's grind out every day and then see what happens, and then show up the next day and do the exact same thing. We have a lot of talent on this team, but we have a lot of guys that are dirt ballers that get down and get dirty and make a lot of plays and have some dirty at-bats for us too. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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