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MLB WORLD SERIES: DODGERS VS RED SOX

October 23, 2018

Andrew Benintendi

Boston, Massachusetts - postgame 1

Dodgers - 4 Red Sox - 8

Q. Just comment on getting those two runs on Kershaw early and kind of setting the tone for the game there.
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, it started with Mookie putting a good at-bat together, and then just getting ahead early. We've been trying to do that all postseason, and for the most part it seems like we've been able to do that so far. Maybe it puts pressure on them right away, but hopefully we can keep doing it.

Q. On NuÃ±ez's home run, how did that change the tone of the game for you in terms of giving more breathing room? And what did you tell him when he got home?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, I mean, obviously it was a huge hit. It seemed like it was a tight ballgame the whole entire time. And getting that extra three runs and that extra cushion was kind of like a deep breath, and an exhale. We knew we had Eovaldi coming in and Craig, so we knew we were set up pretty well for those last two innings.

And the pitch he hit was below the zone. It looked like he hit it off his ankles. That was a good hit right there.

Q. Talk about your game and then the Red Sox's attack at the top of the order.
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, I mean, obviously we're facing a guy who's one of the best of all time. And a lot of guys didn't have a lot of experience off of him; the first time a lot of us have faced him. Didn't really know what to expect.

We had a good game plan. We stuck to it. It started with Mookie. And just trying to tack on runs one at a time. And we tried not to give away at-bats. And it seemed like for most of the year up until now we've had good at-bats the entire game, and don't give any away.

Q. You guys have talked all season about trusting Alex as a leader, but does it seem right now in the postseason that just about every button he pushes seems to work right now?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, he does a great job. I think it starts with the communication. He'll let you know if you have -- there's a possibility that you go up to hit or if you're going in to play defense, he'll let you know. He doesn't catch you off guard and say, "Hey, you're up." He'll let you know early, and that does a lot for a player. And it's been like that all season.

Q. Most of you guys hadn't faced Kershaw before, what was the game plan going against him?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Just to get him in the zone and try not to chase. I don't want to say too much. We'll probably face him again. But we swung at strikes for the most part, and caught a few bad breaks, honestly. Jackie hit a ball right between his legs, if that ball hits his leg, it's another run.

So we took good at-bats, good swings. And definitely have some information now.

Q. I think they scored in four different innings, and three of those four innings you guys responded in the bottom half of the inning. How important is that? And secondly, what is it about you guys that makes you so good situationally with two outs and two strikes?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, when you can score right after they score, it kind of takes the breath out of them, or at least that's how we feel I guess if that were to happen to us. It's huge. It gets the momentum back on your side.

What was the second question?

Q. About situational hitting, two strikes, two outs.
ANDREW BENINTENDI: We've done a great job with that, it seems like from the beginning of the year. I know in the Houston series, obviously Jackie with all of his two out RBIs, and Bogey had some big ones. So guys step up to the challenge and they're not afraid to go up there and fail. Put good at-bats together and good things tend to happen.

Q. It looked like there was a little wind or the ball was doing crazy things. Was it wind? Was it blowing in? Was it swirling? The ball seemed to do a couple of crazy things in the outfield tonight.
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, you never know which way it's going. Usually when it's cold, it blows straight in, but it does swirl. In the summer sometimes it will blow straight out. So you never really know. The flag will be blowing one way, and the wind is actually blowing the other. You have to be on your toes pretty much.

Q. Can you talk about, I know you have to win four games, this series isn't over, but to win the first game at home, your first series, what does it mean to you comfort-wise as a team to win this first game?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: I mean, you definitely want to win it. I don't know what the numbers are if you win the first game or if you lose or whatever, maybe. But we take it a game at a time, and this one's over. We'll focus on tomorrow now. And we've got hopefully three more.

So it's a game at a time, pitch at a time. And we'll worry about the rest later.

Q. (No microphone).
ANDREW BENINTENDI: Yeah, I mean, it's nice to get that first one out of the way. You hope you can win the first game with your guys on the mound. We've got David tomorrow, so we're pretty confident in him.

Q. Given what he's been through and what you've seen from him, what's your impression of NuÃ±ez? How he's bounced back and how gratifying is it to see him get that hit?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: It is huge, when you've got a guy like him on the bench today, at least it's a weapon for us. And when he's going well, we all seem to go well. It's not easy to come off the bench and pinch-hit, especially when it's 45 degrees in the 7th or 8th, whenever that was.

It was a great job by him. Like I said, the pitch wasn't easy to hit. And he seems to be a very good bad-ball hitter, so he showed it there.

Q. Had anyone let you know that you were the third Red Sox player with four hits in a World Series game?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: No.

Q. What do you think of that?
ANDREW BENINTENDI: I don't really care, honestly. I'm just glad we won. It starts with guys around you, Mookie getting on base, putting more pressure on the pitcher, and you've got guys like Steve Pearce and J.D. behind me. It makes my job a little more easy.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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