AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 19, 2021

Nick Pivetta

Fenway Park

Boston Red Sox

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Astros 9, Red Sox 2

Q. Hi, Nick. Can you talk about that loss tonight and how it will affect the team?

NICK PIVETTA: I don't think it's going to affect us at all. I don't expect us to really take too much from it. Just move on. We got another game tomorrow at home, Fenway. I think the focus turns on the game tomorrow, and that's where we need to be.

Q. Nick, after a couple of high-scoring games in the previous ones, how different did this feel? How tense were the innings when you were on the mound?

NICK PIVETTA: I think it's always tense in the postseason. It's my first start, first experience like that, so it was very interesting. I had a lot of fun, but I was just focused on pitch to pitch. They're a really good team. They take really good ABs, and I was able to get them down on some early contact tonight.

Q. What did you think of the strike zone from Laz Diaz tonight?

NICK PIVETTA: I'm not going to comment on that tonight.

Q. Did you think the last at-bat with Castro --

NICK PIVETTA: I'm not going to say anything.

Q. Worth a shot.

How did it feel to get that first one out of the way? And kind of take us through your night and what you thought of the job you did on the mound.

NICK PIVETTA: I mean, after the Bregman home run, settled into the strike zone a lot better, was able to get my curveball over for strikes a little better, backdoor sliders. Like I said, they had early contact tonight, a lot of pop-ups, and it was just me executing my fastball the way that I usually do to allow myself to keep it at a decent pitch count for five innings.

Q. Nick, how soon could you be available to go again, and how do you now change your preparation as a guy that's likely coming out of the bullpen for the rest of the series?

NICK PIVETTA: Yeah, I'll just go to the bullpen tomorrow, and whenever my name is called, I'll just go.

Q. You have a feel for how much you could go tomorrow, if asked?

NICK PIVETTA: I'll leave that up to A.C. He is the man in charge, but whatever I need to do, I'll do.

Q. Nick, can you talk about Chris Sale pitching today, and do you think he will be up for the challenge?

NICK PIVETTA: Of course. I mean, Chris is capable of holding his own any day of the week, so he is going to go out, do his job as he always does. He is a competitor on the mound. I really enjoy watching him pitch, and it should be a really, really good night.