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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES VS ASTROS

October 16, 2017

Joe Girardi

New York, New York- postgame 3

New York - 8, Houston - 1

Q. How do you describe CC tonight?
JOE GIRARDI: He's pitched really well all playoff. And really, all season long when his knee has felt well. So I'm not surprised what he did tonight. We talked about it, we wanted him on the mound tonight. We thought we had the right guy on the mound tonight. Again, 6 innings, just an outstanding effort. Couldn't ask for anything more.

Q. What do you attribute the problems with Betances?
JOE GIRARDI: He's out of whack. He's went through it a couple of times this year, and we've seemingly been able to get him on track a number of different times. And we're still trying to do that. Because I still think he's really important to us and we need him.

So we'll continue to try to fix it.

Q. You guys have hit better at home, you've pitched better at home. What is it about this place that your team responds to so well, besides being in front of your home fans?
JOE GIRARDI: We're somewhat built for this ballpark, No. 1. No. 2, you're familiar with it. You're familiar with everything that you do on a daily basis. You have your routine and you're able to be in your routine. I find that baseball players like routine. We're told where to be all the time. Whether it's in Spring Training, this is what time we report, we have BP, this is what time we meet. I think the routine is normal for them and I think it helps.

Q. During the worst of Judge's slump in the second half and when it came up again in the playoffs, you always stuck with him. Why and what do you think about the reward when it does happen?
JOE GIRARDI: Well, I think that in the struggles he's still been pretty patient. Yeah, he gets a little bit off mechanically. I think part of that is probably being 6-7. And I felt like there's been some borderline pitches called on him that didn't go his way, that it can change in a bat. The difference between 2-0 or 1-1 or -- or 2-1 and 1-2, it's a big difference.

I think he's extremely talented. You can look at his numbers and say he's not hitting for an average. We've played how many playoff games, 9? He gets 7 RBIs, he gets his walk, got another one tonight. I know how dangerous he is. He can really change a game really quickly.

Q. Frazier hasn't been here forever, but it feels like it has been. How much has he meant to the club and in the clubhouse?
JOE GIRARDI: He's a joy to be around. He's fun to be around. He brings a ton of energy every day. As I said, he's always cheering for his teammates and trying to build them up. He's fun to be around.

Q. On Frazier's home run, it looks like he really went down and got that? What did you see from your vantage point?
JOE GIRARDI: I didn't think it was that bad of a pitch. These are Big League hitters. We've been on the other side of that. We think he made a good pitch, and the guy hits it out of the ballpark. He went to right field. There's an advantage to going to right field here and it paid off. I think it was a good at-bat.

Q. What was it like for you just the reception that you got compared to Cleveland?
JOE GIRARDI: I think it's a reminder how quickly things can change in your life. So I said about it when I got booed. I don't think it's the fans didn't like me, I think they were mad when I didn't make the call. They're so passionate about the game and they want to win so bad. That's the great thing about being here, having great fans.

I had no problem with it, and life can change really quickly.

Q. You had your three big relievers rested for game 4, how confident are you?
JOE GIRARDI: I was hoping not to use Tommy tonight, but I had to use him. And Greeny didn't work, he was up a little bit. Robertson didn't work, and Chapman had to get up a little bit.

But it's good. It's good to have those guys. And maybe I'll have Tommy for an inning tomorrow, we'll see.

Q. Obviously it's nice to get out to the early lead, but being down 2 games to nothing, was it important to do that tonight?
JOE GIRARDI: I think so. I think it allowed CC to go to work. There were some big at-bats in that fourth inning where we got five runs. I thought Headley had a big at-bat. His RBI kind of opened up the inning to be a big inning. We get a lead-off double, and it looks like we may not get him in, and he ends up getting him in. Then when we get another run with the wild pitch. And then three-run homer. I think those were important.

Q. You touched on it before the game how the team has played at Yankee Stadium and how they fed off the energy. And that was before you guys went out and scored 8 runs. Do they get more relaxed here? Do they feel more energy here? They seem like a different team.
JOE GIRARDI: Yeah, I do. I think that's the importance of playing at home. I think that's why we've had such a good home record is the normal routine, our players are used to this field. They know how to hit here, and our fans. Our fans are great. I'm watching them in the first inning in leftfield and they're banging on the wall. And I love it. It's great to see.

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