AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 16, 2021

Nathan Eovaldi

Minute Maid Park

Boston Red Sox

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Red Sox - 9, Astros - 5

Q. Nate, how good did it feel to get that win? Just how good did you feel? What's it like to be a part of the first team in postseason history to notch two grand slams in the same game?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I mean, for our guys to open it up the way they did, it takes a lot of the pressure off my back, you know, trying to be so fine out there. I felt good physically. We scored four in the first and then another four in the second. And usually I'm trying to go as deep as I can in a ball game like that, but at the same time I'm walking a tight line with their offense. You got to do a good job of attacking, but then at the same time they're taking really good pitches, and you don't want to let them get anything going especially here at home. The fourth inning they were able to add three more runs and after that I was able to keep them off of the pitches a little bit more. Then Ottavino came in, Whitlock came in, and they did a great job stopping them.

Q. Nate, it's great, I guess, to get those four runs, but you sat for 41 minutes after that inning between the long inning and the injury to García. What was that like? What did you do, and how did you cope with that layoff?

NATHAN EOVALDI: The timing was nice since it was the very beginning of the game. I wasn't too deep into my pitch count or anything like that. So I sit down in the tunnel and we got the net down there for the guys to hit, so I just picked up some balls and threw into the net to stay loose, ran up and down the stairs a couple of times, went up to the weight room, stayed loose up there as well. It really didn't bother me too much. I think it was the timing of everything, though, that helped out with it.

Q. Nate, just how important is it, I guess, to have the start that you had just to help save the bullpen and keep guys fresh. Rodriguez and Pivetta didn't have to pitch and that kind of thing. Was that all in the back of your mind today after last night?

NATHAN EOVALDI: When we were able to score the runs, I had to try and shift, try to go out there and go as deep as I could. I knew this would be a good opportunity for me to be able to go a little deeper into the game, maybe go through the lineup more than three -- or try to go through them at least three times. Again, that's kind of what I touched on earlier about walking the tightrope. Their offense is so good, and they can get it going at any point really.

And I felt like going into the sixth it was, like, try to get the outs as fast as possible, and Alvarez got a good swing on a ball and got on base, and then we brought in Ottavino. But for us to be able to stay away from Eddie and Pivetta is it huge for us going back to Boston and hopefully having one of those two guys start Game 3 and 4.

Q. Nate, go back to '18. You are 5-0 after a loss in the playoffs. What do you think that says about this group, and how are you able to rally so quickly after a loss in the playoffs?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah. Last night it felt like we were winning a lot more than we were, and then when they were able to come back, you know, it just took the wind out of our sails. I felt like we had a lot of opportunities to score yesterday, and the guys realized that today as well, and we were able to capitalize today, and hold to the lead until the game was over. I think it just shows the fight and everything that we have in the clubhouse. You know, we realize what's at stake. And then just the at-bats and stuff that we're having, we're having quality at-bats up there, and we're seeing the ball well.

Defense has been great. Pitching has been good keeping us in the ball games, and you keep waiting for that big moment to happen like it did today in the first and second inning.

Q. There have been several times over the last two or three weeks that Alex has brought up the 0-3 start in Baltimore. He does it without even being asked. He just kind of references it. What does that mean to you guys as a talking point, and what do you think Alex is trying to convey when he says that?

NATHAN EOVALDI: What did you say at the beginning of the question about Baltimore?

Q. That he brings up the 0-3 start in Baltimore, and he did it last night, in fact. He was asked a question and he said, Well, we started 0-3 in Baltimore. What does that mean to you as a talking point, and what is he trying to convey when he brings that up?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Starting out the season 0-3 in Baltimore is not how we had drawn it up or anything like that, but I think for us to be able to turn the page from then -- and I forget who we had the second series. Was it Tampa, I believe. We were able to come out, and I believe we won that series. And coming in against Tampa, a great team right there.

It's just the fight, again, like everybody has in the clubhouse. We believe in one another and the talent we have in the room and the guys that are here now. Just everybody is able to get the job done when they're called upon.

Q. The staff is just in a slightly different place than it was in 2018 just in terms of roles and what not. Do you feel like you want to take it upon yourself to give the team length when you go out there and kind of suck up those innings? That may not be the way it was in '18.

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, absolutely. You know, any time the ball is handed to me, I want to keep it as long as I can, and when A.C. says that's enough, it's enough. I'm not going to question the decisions he makes, but I want to stay out there as long as possible. I think I had 81 pitches tonight, and I felt good. I wanted keep going, but, again, he made the right call. And especially at the time and moving forward, hopefully I'll bounce back well tomorrow and be available out of the pen Game 3.

Q. Could you just walk us through what happened when the trainer came out to look at you?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah. The pitch when he popped up to the first baseman, I felt like I kind of over-strided and I just felt a little grab in my back. That was really it. It feels fine now, but at the time I felt the grab. And then I was a little hesitant on throwing the next pitch, the curveball, and it was a bad pitch, and they came out and talked. And I've had it happen before during the game, and it hasn't stopped me, so it's just one of those things in the moment. Make sure everything feels good. And I think two fastballs to warm up, and I was fine to go.

I don't think it had anything for -- any reason for them to take me out -- or that had a reason for them taking me out. It's just because I had given up the hit.

Q. Just a thought on being 1-1 and what do you think Fenway Park will be like Monday for Game 3?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I mean, this is huge. We wanted to at least take one game here in Houston, and now going back to Fenway, we'll have the crowd. The crowd will be there to support us, and we got three big games out there in Boston, and we've got to try and get the job done.