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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES VS ASTROS

October 13, 2017

Houston, Texas - postgame 1

Houston - 2, New York - 1

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Marwin, take us through the throw at the plate and what you saw and then when you wait for the challenge and all that. And Dallas, you talk about what this all means to you after having a sensational game.
MARWIN GONZALEZ: Well, that was their best moment in the game, probably to stop the momentum. All I was thinking was to go get the ball as fast as I could, since I knew he was on second and I knew that that was the only chance to get a chance on home plate.

DALLAS KEUCHEL: You want me to talk about?

Q. Your game, what you did. Talk about Marwin too.
DALLAS KEUCHEL: Yeah, I think the guys know when I pitch it's going to be bodies moving around. A bunch of ground balls, hopefully only a few fly balls. I'm not very good at judging the fly balls, so I feel like every fly ball that's hit off me it's going to go out. That's not a good feeling to have. So I try to keep it on the ground.

But can't say enough about the way the guys played tonight. I mean, Altuve missed that ball, but he's a Gold Glover and he's picked me up more times than I can count. So if anybody misplays a ball at that point I got to pick him up, and he knows that. So whenever he makes a great play, he's picking me up half the time and the same thing with Marwin.

I threw Judge seven sliders in a row and put a good swing on one, hit a line drive just over Correa's head, and Marwin was there. You can't really say enough about the play of Marwin the whole season. And he's literally the most undervalued player in the big leagues. And now that we got national attention, we're seeing everybody's worth.

Q. Dallas, yesterday you talked about the honor of pitching this game, being at home, knowing what it would be like. What was that crowd, the feel, you mentioned you can kind of go in the zone but you would hear it too. What was it like being in that stadium and feeling that crowd?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: It was definitely more electric tonight than I had anticipated and none of us, besides Beltran and I think a couple other guys, had been past the Division Series. So we knew what the Division Series was going to be like, but it was just a whole other atmosphere tonight. That's what happens when you have the last two American League teams standing and fighting it out.

So we can't say enough about our fans, the way they rallied around us and the way we have rallied around them and kind of everybody's taking into each other. It's almost like a family setting. I can a hundred percent say that I was getting a little tired there at the end and honestly, they were pushing me through it, just the way the crowd was getting into it.

And you don't see a lot of knowledgeable crowds when you go place to place, and this place is definitely one of the most knowledgeable places. In the game they know exactly what's going on and when to get up and when to boo and this and that.

So we can't say enough about our house and about our home and what the fans bring to us.

Q. Dallas, at what point do you realize, I've got it tonight? Is it in the bullpen, is it first, second, third inning? Was there a point tonight, maybe perhaps even before the game you said, Okay, I've got this tonight, my stuff?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: Usually it's during the bullpen as I'm warming up or a few hitters in. And it didn't strike me until probably the 3rd inning tonight. I felt a little sluggish, I probably used a little bit more effort than I usually do warming up in the bullpen session. So I needed to calm myself down just because I was so hyped and so jacked up.

And at that point I got out of the first inning and the second inning and went down in the tunnel and just kind of took a couple deep breaths, enjoyed myself and what this means to our team and just went from there. And at that point that was probably when I knew I was locked in.

Q. Marwin, obviously you are a short stop by trade and you gained renown by being able to play in the infield. With what's happened with you this year in left field and gaining more confidence and playing more comfortable out there?
MARWIN GONZALEZ: I think the key is, like, my team has helped me a lot, I'm always trying to learn from them. I asked Jay Carlos, the trainer, any time I have a chance. Like that's new for me.

I think that this year is the most games that I have played in the outfield and I think I have to keep learning and playing hard.

Q. Dallas, your career against the Yankees, do you see any common thread that really turned over their roster in that span and is that especially because of their history or just as any other team?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: I'm asked that question a lot, and there's really no hard explanation for it. I think it's just pitch execution and it's just been there more times than it hasn't against the Yankees.

But the Yankees are so storied, it's just a storied franchise and they have so much rich history that you almost don't even have to get up for the game, you're already up for it. That's what they bring. They have a lot of talented players and this was supposed to be the bridge year for them and they weren't supposed to be here, but they are because they are good and they are the Yankees.

So for us to get game 1, I couldn't ask for anything better, but there's really no explanation for it. It's just, Hey, I'm trying to pitch my way into getting a win and helping us the best way I can and that's just make pitches over and over.

Q. Dallas, A.J. mentioned that you're kind of going along and you dial it up and we heard him say that about you a lot of times. Do you notice that point in the game where you just kind of take it up a level? Like you mentioned you were starting to get tired. Do you even notice that that happens?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: Probably a little bit, that's probably when nobody wants to talk to me because I've got fire coming out of my ears and I'm probably saying a few choice words that I probably shouldn't say. Strommy knows pretty much, unless it's a dire need to come out there, he doesn't need to come out there because I'm going to yell at them, and I think A.J. would say the same thing.

But that's just the competitor in me. As a starting pitcher I only get to throw once every five days. So while the position guys are having fun and doing their thing and we're enjoying them, I get to sit and watch and pretty much be bored because I don't get to do anything. So I know the hitters would say, Hey, I would much rather pitch once every five days or go 0-4 with four strike outs. But my rebuttal is, Hey, you get redemption every day, I get redemption every five days.

So I got to take advantage of my opportunities and I think that's why I'm so heated in the course of a game.

Q. Dallas, I don't know if you were asked this but, with your strike outs you join only two other Astros pitchers to have 10 or more strike outs in a postseason game: Nolan Ryan and Mike Scott.
DALLAS KEUCHEL: I mean, we have pretty similar pitching styles, so I would expect myself to be in there.

(Laughter.)

No, I don't know. It's just, I made a few good pitches and I got lucky on a few. But hey, that's great company to be in, I'll take it. I mean, if I'm in that company and we get a loss, I don't really care about it. But since we got the win, it's a nice couple guys to be with. And this franchise has a rich history of not just good players but good pitchers and I'm glad to just be a part of this.

Q. Dallas, did you have any concerns or what was your level of concern this summer as you missed time that you would be able to get back and be this guy again?
DALLAS KEUCHEL: There's always concern about coming back from an injury and nobody wants to get hurt, but it was just one of those things that happened and I had to deal with it. And I knew from 2016 how detrimental trying to pitch while being injured can cost a team, and I think I cost the team more than I helped it out last year, and that's something I don't want to do.

So at the point of it being too painful to pitch I had to say something. But there's always a little bit of doubt about how good you're going to be when you come back, no matter what the injury, and that's just a human element. And at some point if you miss eight weeks like I did, there's going to be a negative thought in my head.

But at the same time I knew if I took the necessary steps to get back and trust in what the process was with our great medical staff, I had a chance to come back fully healthy and regain that form. And it took awhile, but I think I'm back. I feel this start was probably my best start all year with the way I commanded the ball and was able to get late movement. So it's definitely in the back of my head when you come back, but at some point when you feel good it's time to turn the page.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES VS ASTROS

October 13, 2017

Marwin Gonzalez

Dallas Keuchel