AL DIVISION SERIES: RAYS VS RED SOX

October 7, 2021

Alex Cora

Tropicana Field

Boston Red Sox

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Rays 5, Red Sox 0

Q. Hi, Alex. Can you just go over your decision to take out Eduardo Rodriguez when you did?

ALEX CORA: The way we were set up, right, we felt like right there we had to contain the game. So G Rich came in and got the out, and Nick gave us quality innings. It's not that we mapped it out that way, but we felt that with that lineup and the way they are, that was a moment that we had to stop it right there to get Randy out, and then move forward, and we did.

Q. Alex, how do you look at the offense tonight? No runs, but seemed like you hit a lot of balls hard.

ALEX CORA: Yeah, we had traffic out there, and we just didn't cash in. Bobby hit a few missiles with men on. Obviously, in the eighth we load the bases; we didn't score. There was some good at-bats in the middle of the game, grind at-bats. Others were kind of like empty, but I think overall we did a good job hitting line drives and staying in the middle of the field.

Q. Alex, what's going on with Devers health-wise? It doesn't seem like he is 100%.

ALEX CORA: What do you mean?

Q. Is there an arm thing or something going on?

ALEX CORA: A few days ago everybody said he setting up the pitcher whenever he drops the bat. Today because he didn't get a hit, he is hurt.

You know, I mean, after 162 things that happen and you get treatment, and you grind, you know? Not everybody is 100% right now, and he is posting. Like I said a few days ago, you know, he was dropping the bat the same way, and nobody said anything. Actually, I heard that he was setting out pitchers with that.

Q. Alex, with the shift on and the Arozarena steal, what should have been done there?

ALEX CORA: They did a good job. He was playing with him the whole at-bat, right? We were close to him and then he got back to the bag, and then in that one he kind of, like, timed him perfectly, and he took off. It caught everybody by surprise.

It's a great baseball play. He had a great baseball game today. You know, I think J.T. was actually paying attention, but probably two strikes, you know, he had Lowe with two strikes and probably the concentration was with the hitter. Just put him away, and Randy had an amazing job, and that was an amazing baseball play.

Q. Alex, how important was the job that Pivetta did to just set you guys up for the rest of the --

ALEX CORA: He gave us a chance to win the game. It's not only that he was just coming to get the bulk of the innings. We were very aggressive just because of the situation.

And I think the change-up tonight, you know, for Eddie wasn't there. Actually, the fastball didn't look great early on, and G Rich comes in and he gets the guy out and we move to the next guy, and we talk about it. The goal was for Eddie go deeper into the game and maybe use Nick and finish it off, but we felt that if we contained the offense for a while there, we were good enough offensively to put traffic and score some runs. It just happened that we didn't score.

Q. Alex, obviously, the goal is always to win, but sometimes when you start on the road you at least hope to split. How comfortable do you feel with Sale on the mound tomorrow some?

ALEX CORA: We're good. We're good. I love the at-bats today. Like I said, you know, we put some pressure on them. They made some plays. We hit some balls hard, but we got Chris, and he is ready to go. So the bullpen is rested, so we should be okay.

We good? Thank you. Have a good night.

MODERATOR: Appreciate it.