AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 19, 2021

Nathan Eovaldi

Garrett Whitlock

Fenway Park

Boston Red Sox

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Astros 9, Red Sox 2

Q. Nate, could you go over that ninth inning? Did you think it was a strike to Castro?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Yeah, I thought it was a strike, but, again, I'm in the moment. I'm trying to make my pitches. I'm attacking the zone. I mean, he came in the ninth inning. I gave up a double to Correa, and I tried to go to work there and tried to get some outs, and prevent him from scoring. I had two strikeouts, and then facing Castro I felt like I was in control of the at-bat. I felt like I made a good pitch on the outside corner, and it didn't go my way, but I got to come back and I got to answer back and make another good pitch. I threw a fastball, and he fouled it off, and I went with the splitter. I had a good feel for it tonight, and he put a good swing on it and got a base hit.

Q. For both of you guys, how did you feel about the strike zone tonight?

NATHAN EOVALDI: You're going to get calls that go your way and some that don't go your way. Our job is to go out there and keep attacking the zone. Whether we get a pitch that goes our way or it doesn't, we have to move on to the next pitch and not let it affect us and keep attacking the strike zone.

GARRETT WHITLOCK: I can't say it any better than that.

Q. Did you think the strike zone had an impact on the outcome of the game?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I mean, again, there's going to be those at-bats where I felt like our batters were being very selective up there. They were having quality at-bats, and a 1-0 count that turns into a 1-1 or a 2-0 count, it changes the at-bat a lot.

Q. Nate, how did you feel about your stuff tonight, and just how did your body feel after on short rest coming in?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Physically I felt good. I think battling with Correa up there, you know, I through him a cutter and then a slider, and I could feel like I was a little antsy, getting down the mound a little bit too fast. I tried to make a good pitch, and he put a great swing on it, and got a double off. And then after that I kind of settled in and I knew I had to really lock it in, try to prevent them from scoring, and I felt like after that I was spotting up pretty well.

Q. Garrett, Altuve is obviously pretty aggressive on the first pitch. What are you trying to do there and how much did that surprise you what happened there?

GARRETT WHITLOCK: He just hit a first-pitch fastball out. I was trying to get ahead and throw strikes, so tip my cap to him.

Q. Just for both of you guys: With some of the things your team has been through this year, how well equipped do you feel you are to kind of bounce back from a pretty tough loss like this tonight?

NATHAN EOVALDI: I mean, we're feeling pretty confident. Tonight we had to battle. We had to work. We were in the game all the way up until the ninth inning. Coming in, I mean, I think that's been one of our strengths is being able to turn the page and come in tomorrow. We're here tomorrow, and we got to make sure we win tomorrow to be able to take Game 6 in Houston and be ready to go.

GARRETT WHITLOCK: You go on to tomorrow, no matter what the outcome is that day. The next day you got to win that day. So you turn the page. You know, you got to go 1-0 for the day.

Q. How did you think Chris will do today?

NATHAN EOVALDI: Chris I think is he going to do great. We can't ask for anybody else we would rather have on the mound than Chris tomorrow, and he has been working hard in between each start. He is feeling good. His mechanics are feeling better. I think we're going to have a great game tomorrow, and he is going to come out. He lives up to the pressure. I mean, he enjoys it. He likes it. He likes going out there and being that guy for us, and he is going to be ready to go.