AL DIVISION SERIES: ASTROS VS WHITE SOX

October 8, 2021

Lucas Giolito

Tim Anderson

Minute Maid Park

Chicago White Sox

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Houston - 9, Chicago - 4

Q. I know how confident and what a strong belief you guys have had in your team all season. So what is the mindset now? What is the message in the club house after going down 0-2 in this best of five series?

TIM ANDERSON: Our backs are against the wall right now. We know what we've got to do, and we've got to take care of business. We have to keep fighting and keep pushing. And we competed. We competed at a high level. We know things will get better. It's good to head back home for sure.

LUCAS GIOLITO: We've got to win three games in a row. It wouldn't be the first time that happened this year. So like T.A. said, we just keep battling.

Q. Kind of a question for both of you guys too. How frustrating is it to watch the way the Astros have collected hits? Just a lot of ground balls up the middle, sometimes in pretty big holes where you guys positioned differently?

TIM ANDERSON: It's a tough lineup. They've got a good lineup. They've been doing their homework, but we've just got to keep battling, keep competing, and we'll get to where we need to be.

LUCAS GIOLITO: They're good bat to ball. It looked like they were trying to shoot the ball a few times today. It worked out for them. It's just baseball. It goes that way sometimes.

Q. You guys talk about the confidence in this team, and obviously you've had the whole year, et cetera, to build that up. When you look at the past couple days, what moments stand out to you where you can pull on that and in terms of why you're so confident going back to Chicago now?

TIM ANDERSON: All the hits. We pay attention to all the hits. We know what kind of ball club we are. We know what we can do, and there's no pressure. No moment is too big. We've just got to keep battling and keep picking one another up, and enjoy the moment.

LUCAS GIOLITO: I would say specifically the first inning today, we jumped on them, scored a run. One, two, three inning. If we stay focused and stay positive and stay confident, then we can pile on innings like that. So that's the plan going forward.

Q. Obviously, when a team can foul off pitches and extend at-bats, the chance of a walk goes up, but what did you feel like kind of went awry in the fifth?

LUCAS GIOLITO: Maybe trying to do too much. I had a good idea it was probably my last inning, and we had just put up runs. I wanted to get the shut down. It's a different environment here than what I'm used to. So I got some valuable experience today, just kind of reining it in and making sure the focus is to the target. We had too many waist pitches.

Q. As you said, you guys had quite a few hits today, but they also took away a lot of hits on that side. Leading off the game, did you think that ball was going through for a hit, and just in general, your impressions of the Houston defense?

TIM ANDERSON: No. I know where these guys play me. They usually play me up the middle. I knew I had to get down the line and try to beat it out. Nothing is given at this moment. They're not going to give me anything. I have to earn it, and I understand that.

Q. You both have talked since the beginning of Spring Training about how badly you wanted to go on a long run this October. How badly do you not want it to end on Sunday?

TIM ANDERSON: It ain't over. That's one thing about it, it ain't over. We've still got a shot. We've got to compete, and we know our back's against the wall. We've just got to wake up and be ready to play.

Q. How much of a difference can it make just to go back and play a home playoff game versus being here?

TIM ANDERSON: Ain't nothing like being at home. Ain't nothing like being at home. I can't wait to get back. It's going to be the first one since 2008. So I'm pretty sure the place is going to be rocking.

LUCAS GIOLITO: I'm excited for our fans. I know they've been waiting for it. Yeah, I think they'll show out pretty good on Sunday.