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NL DIVISION SERIES: ROCKIES VS BREWERSOctober 5, 2018Jesus AguilarTravis ShawMilwaukee, Wisconsin - pregame 2 Q. I'm wondering if you could talk about the atmosphere last night compared to that final regular season series against Detroit. Was it a similar crowd in last night's game, and what does that make you feel going into today? TRAVIS SHAW: It was a little bit more rowdy last night than it was against Detroit, first playoff game here in seven years, so the towels added another effect. It was pretty cool. It seemed like every time we got two strikes on one of their hitters, the entire stadium stood up. The atmosphere was great. Couldn't ask for anything better. JESUS AGUILAR: I agree with Travis. It was kind of similar. It was really nice the support that the fans gave to us. Everybody around with the towels was like a special moment for us, and the most important thing was we got the win last night. Q. How would you guys describe what Craig Counsell has meant to this team, especially in this last month or so? TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah. He's had a tough job, I think. He's had a lot of guys, a lot of options, especially in the lineup. And he has to keep everybody happy. And I think he's done a pretty good job of that. Mixing and matching with different matchups and keeping everybody fresh and keeping everybody in there, it's a lot harder than people think, and I think he's done a really good job of that. JESUS AGUILAR: I think he's a great leader, how I would describe him. He did a great job this year. I think we've got a lot of guys on this team this year. He did an outstanding job, I think. How I would describe Counsell? He's a great leader. Q. Travis, going off the first question, how much does that crowd motivate you as you go throughout the game, especially when they tie it up at 2, that crowd noise is still behind you guys? TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah, it helps. It definitely helps. We kind of blew that lead there in the ninth, but they never let down. As soon as we got somebody on there in the 10th, it was right back to being extremely loud and putting the pressure on them. And when you have that home-field advantage, it can kind of carry you over the top. Q. You guys now have 11 walk-offs on the season. To have the 10 in the regular season, just how much confidence does that give you guys in these late-game situations knowing you guys have come through so many times before, and it's come from so many different guys, as well? JESUS AGUILAR: I think it's happened in a good way, and now we've got to keep going. We've got a great team. We've got great guys. Relieving pitchers, starters, hitters, I think everybody is connecting. So the thing is like keep it going, keep connecting. I know a lot of good things are going to happen if we stay like we are right now. TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah. We've been down before, and we've come back from multiple runs down in the ninth inning during the regular season, so that can benefit us. I feel like we're never out of the game. And you saw it with them yesterday, they never stopped, and they were able to scratch across two in the ninth to push it to extras, and I think if we're in a similar situation, we can do the same thing. Q. You guys are relatively new to this whole playoff thing, as well, but with what Woodruff was able to do yesterday, how big was that for you guys to watch this young guy come out and know that he has a limited amount of time, but still make the most of that limited amount of time last night in that start? TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah. He's been pitching pretty well now for pretty much all of September. And for him to get that last-second notice before the start, he didn't really know until the night before, so for him to come out and give us three solid innings right there to start, we were able to get across a couple of runs. And once you turn it over to the bullpen after that, we felt really good after that, but you can't say enough for how good of a start he put in yesterday. Q. What did it mean overall to see the bullpen day go about as well as it did yesterday moving forward, and then especially building on top of Brandon, what Corbin did, too? TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah. I mean, we got a 1-0 lead and we turned it over to our ace. He's been our best pitcher all year, kind of in the best situation we can be in right now, another home game with our most consistent starter on the hill. And we feel really good about today. And like you said about Corbin, he came in and gave us another two strong innings yesterday. For those two young guys, first playoff experience, to come into that moment, that big of an atmosphere and pitch that well, it says a lot about their character and their preparation. Q. How about the Rockies' pitching, too? They really pitched well yesterday Ottavino, Davis, we all know about the Brewers' bullpen, as well, but how tough is that Rockies' pitching staff to face? JESUS AGUILAR: I think they've got really good pitchers, especially relievers, so we've got to battle there. That's how I'd describe the moment when we go into the box. We've got to battle there. Just try to watch the strike zone and try to hit a strike. That's the most important thing. We've been doing that for the last eight games, the last nine games, and now we've got to keep doing that. TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah. Everybody knows about their bullpen, but Senzatela pitched pretty well yesterday. He didn't miss in the middle of the play hardly at all. The pitch to Yelich, that was a good swing on Yelich's part. From watching from the pitches that I got and seeing all the pitches that they got, he didn't miss in the middle of the plate. He executed his game plan really well and Yelich made a good swing, and that was really the only mistake he made. Q. What's it been like to watch Corey come back from that little break he took and then kind of just be the dominant pitcher he was last year? It seems like it's just transformed the bullpen into a way better and deeper group. JESUS AGUILAR: I think he's got his confidence again. That's the most important thing for him. He's got his confidence. He's got his stuff. He's back. He's back, as I said. Corey, we know in 2017, he battled when we need it. So I'm glad for what he's been doing this year for us. TRAVIS SHAW: Yeah, I mean, he's an All-Star closer last year. And he's not technically in that role right now, but when you have that level of a pitcher that you can bring in in the sixth or seventh inning, like you said, it just lengthens the bullpen. And every time he comes in now, we're pretty confident it's going to be a very quick inning. Q. Jesus, if Freddy Peralta doesn't pitch today, I think we're wondering if we're going to see him in Denver again because he had that really big game on Mother's Day. What for you is the best memory of that day, and can you share anything from behind the scenes, like in the clubhouse or stuff we didn't get to see that day of what he was like that day and what you remember about that? JESUS AGUILAR: I think we was talking about the moment. Nobody know in that moment he'd dominate those guys like how he did that game, especially when I see like Arenado, those big guys look like they did that game, it was like -- I mean, what he's doing, like what he's got in his fingers? Then I say after that inning, let me see your fingers, he's got big fingers, and that's why he got that spring in the ball. But it was a great moment for him, for his family, and let's see what happens. Let's see what happens, control what he can control about those things, and hopefully when he pitches there, he will do it again. Q. Travis, did I see right, I don't think you're in there today? TRAVIS SHAW: No, I am. I'm a little lower in the lineup today. That's probably why you didn't see me. (Laughter). Q. You're in there today, as I saw (laughter), but there were some games where guys didn't get to play because they had all these infield options after July 31st, and we never heard much grumbling about that. Was there any internally, like were guys disappointed in that, and how did you deal with not getting to play on Sunday where you probably wanted to play? TRAVIS SHAW: I think everybody knew once they made those acquisitions that there were going to have to be some sacrifices. Everybody that they picked up is an everyday player, but there just wasn't enough spots. He did a good job of kind of communicating that with us as soon as it happened, that it's going to be a little bit of a learning curve, and there's some days you're not going to play, but I think everybody realized that it made us a deeper lineup, a better team, and internally there was no grumblings. There was no upset. Nobody was upset. Just if you're in there, do what you can, and if you're not in there, you're probably going to get in there at some point, so just be ready. Q. Jesus, kind of building on that, Eric Thames isn't even on the roster. You're kind of in one of his spots. How has he been with you, and I guess how does that speak to the larger keep and kind of what Travis was talking about there? JESUS AGUILAR: Same. Same guy. I think he's a good guy. He doesn't change to nobody in the clubhouse. His situation is a little different right now, but he's the same guy, good guy. Nothing changed with us. I mean, between us, nothing changed. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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