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AL DIVISION SERIES: INDIANS VS ASTROS

October 8, 2018

Cleveland, Ohio - postgame 3

THE MODERATOR: We'll take a few questions for George Springer and Marwin Gonzalez.

Q. George, the two-parter for you. One, both your home runs on first pitches, I wonder if that was part of the strategy today, to go chase something early in the count; two, not a lot of home runs since you came back from the injury, three, I think, and now three in just a few days. I'm wondering if something is happening physically or you're seeing the ball better, something along those lines?
GEORGE SPRINGER: Yeah. I think in that situation, I was a little reserved my first two at-bats. I told myself, I got to go get something to hit and not miss it because it's hard to hit in this league behind in the count.

So I just told myself to go get something to hit, and hit it hard. And then honestly, I don't know. I was just trying to hit the ball hard and whatever happens, happens.

I mean, it's not about personal stuff here. It's about the team. So I'll take it.

Q. Three in a short period of time, as opposed to the three in a month and a half?
MARWIN GONZALEZ: Postseason, man. Same thing last year. Surprised?

Q. I'm not.
GEORGE SPRINGER: I just think it's one of those times where the lights get brighter, the stage gets a little bit bigger, and I think guys tend to concentrate more.

You hone in on stuff, and, again, I don't know. I'm not going to complain about it. I'm happy that it happened.

Q. Marwin, I'm going to ask you to talk about your teammate while he's sitting next to you. Just watching him, what he did last year in the postseason and now in this Division Series, just being his teammate, seeing when he comes through in October, what does it mean to you?
MARWIN GONZALEZ: It means a lot. We are expecting a lot when he goes up to the plate in the postseason. Not that we don't expect it during the season, but you guys know what he did last year in the postseason.

He's a Super Springer. He showed it this series, three homers in three games. That's what he's capable to do postseason.

Q. Both of you guys, wondering in an elimination game, what it's like to stand on the field and watch a stadium disperse, empty out toward the end of a game, what you start to feel, when you start to feel like, okay, we accomplished this.
GEORGE SPRINGER: I remember a game here in early May, when we were up 5. They scored 5 to tie it in the ninth. I think, for me, it's when the game is finally over, because with the lineup that those guys have, this game is not over until it's over.

And yeah, it's a great feeling to watch the stands slowly empty and to see a lot more orange in the stands, but that just means that our team, I think, did our job and kind of controlled what our team could control.

MARWIN GONZALEZ: Yeah. I agree with that. I was on defense. We win by eight. At the same time, you see a lineup on the board and you know they can do damage. And they did it against us early in the season. So I was a little more calm in the last inning. And even then, they got back-to-back base hits, and you never know, especially in the postseason. You've got to play until the last out.

Q. Your double, it felt like it broke the game open. And it was a gorgeous at-bat, a gorgeous hit. Can you carry me through that at-bat?
MARWIN GONZALEZ: Well, I don't know if it was a gorgeous swing. It was an ugly swing, but I was lucky enough to keep it fair and get the lead by that time.

What I just wanted to do in that at-bat was at least get a fly ball and bring in a run and then get the lead. Everybody knows what Bauer can do on the mound. He's a good pitcher. I was looking to keep the ball fair.

I didn't know until my teammate behind me was yelling at me, like go, go, go. But, I mean, that was game, and I'm happy to contribute at any point to win a game.

Q. With Bauer and Donaldson, the Indians are obviously having a lot of guys come back from late injuries in the season. Did you guys think they were at their best going into this?
GEORGE SPRINGER: I think so. I don't see why anybody in the postseason isn't going to be at their best.

I think it doesn't matter if you're hurt the whole year or hurt the last week. I think guys tend to find a way to be at their best at this point in time, and those are two outstanding players. Both have a history of being successful in this game.

I mean, they're All-Stars, they're MVPs. So I think for our team to come in here and play our game against a very, very just great team over there, a quality lineup with a great staff, I think it says a lot about our team and what our team was able to do.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming in, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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