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MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS DODGERS

October 24, 2017

Chris Taylor

Los Angeles, California - postgame 1

Houston Astros - 1, Los Angeles Dodgers - 3

Q. The Dodger approach has sort of been to let pitchers throw pitches, and you haven't had a ton of at-bats against Keuchel and had a lot of success. What made you think about going up there and swinging at the first pitch?
CHRIS TAYLOR: We knew he liked to get ahead early. He does a really good job of picking at the corners, and throws a lot of chase pitches. But I just wanted to go up there and be aggressive, and try to jump on that first-pitch strike.

Q. How much do you think your foul ball in the third at-bat changed how he pitched you?
CHRIS TAYLOR: I don't know. I hadn't even thought about it. My approach against him was just get him in the air. It was a good pitch. I think it was in on the black, and it's tough to do anything with that pitch. I got the barrel to it, but just pulled a foul.

Q. You had a very long home run in the LCS. It was against Hendricks who threw an 88-mile-per-hour fastball. Today same pitch. Is there something about that kind of pitcher, that pitch, that you are looking for when you come to the plate?
CHRIS TAYLOR: I think both those pitches were mistakes. And that's the big thing, you have to get those guys in the middle of the plate. I think if you ask both those guys, they left those pitches over the middle and missed their spot.

Q. Going to your first at-bat, how confident were you? Did you feel like you were on the verge of something special as it showed?
CHRIS TAYLOR: I didn't overthink it. I was just going up it there, trying to get the barrel to the ball, thinking about being aggressive, and be ready to hit the first one.

Q. When you were in Seattle, and you moved over here, did you ever think this day would come? You hit the first pitch home run at a World Series game.
CHRIS TAYLOR: No, I never could have predicted this. The goal coming into this year was to hit for more power and get the ball in the air, but I didn't think it would be this drastic of an improvement.

Q. What did you learn from being around Justin Turner? What impresses you about the what he does?
CHRIS TAYLOR: Just the way he goes about his business every day. He's so disciplined in his own, and he sticks to his plan every at-bat.

Probably the most impressive thing about him is how good he is in the big situation. He always seems to come through when we need him the most.

Q. Talking about your home run, but also you had a complete -- a very good game, extending the sixth inning with a walk. What does it mean to be contributing on so many different levels?
CHRIS TAYLOR: Yeah, you know, that's kind of been the key to our success as a team. Seems like all of our big innings have come after a couple of walks, and we've made the pitcher work and then we capitalize when he does make a mistake.

Q. There's been a number of good players from Virginia from the last 10, 20 years. Have you had a contact with any of them?
CHRIS TAYLOR: I grew up looking up to those guys. Those were the guys I really followed every day, and they were kind of my role models, being from that same area. And then I've talked to Ryan Zimmerman a little bit. We both went to University of Virginia.

And playing against those guys, I try to say "hey" to them when I'm on base. We haven't had contact like much being home. But those guys kind of are ahead of my age gap a little bit.

Q. Speaking about just the pitches from Keuchel, how well were you seeing his pitches? Seemed like you were locked in, but you seemed to see them very well.
CHRIS TAYLOR: Yeah, I felt like I've been seeing the ball really well the whole postseason. And that just goes back to not trying to do too much. I think I struggled that last month of September because I was getting a little big and overswinging a little bit. And I just settled back into like a two-strike swing, still being aggressive and still looking to do damage, but not overswinging. Understanding if I get the barrel to the ball, it's going to go.

Q. It seems like all season long there's been a philosophy about hitting the ball in the air. Who has been the lead preacher with that? And how has Justin Turner fit into that?
CHRIS TAYLOR: JT preaches it all the time. That's the huge adjustment he made. And obviously the success he's had since he left the Mets, coming over, and that's his whole approach. And just shows how much of a difference he can make.

Q. When Clayton was asked about your home run, he said that he thought that settled everybody in a little bit. Did it settle you in at all?
CHRIS TAYLOR: Yeah, it always helps to get off to a good start. Takes a little bit of pressure off and makes it fun when you jump on it like that early and get a lead.

Q. Were you aware that you flipped your bat?
CHRIS TAYLOR: A little bit (laughter). I think it was more just the adrenaline. I wasn't tried to do a bat flip or anything, just kind of almost like a fist pump, bat flip.

Q. What was it like when Kershaw is on in the early innings, he's flipping through so fast? Is it a blur when you're out there defensively, you're on the field for nine pitches and gone again. Is it machine-like?
CHRIS TAYLOR: Yeah, it's definitely fun to play behind. He's working fast and he's pounding the zone, it keeps you in the game on defense.

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