AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 20, 2021

Christian Vazquez

Fenway Park

Boston Red Sox

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Astros 9, Red Sox 1

Q. Christian, can you talk about Sale tonight and what did he have, and then talk about Valdez and why was he so tough?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: I think Sale, we have two -- you know, the homer from Alvarez, we missed the location there, but overall I think he did a great job. He held those guys to get a chance to win. Three runs we can score there, and we don't hit today.

So it was I think Valdez got everything today. Good sinker, great curveball, was mixing, his velo was up too. So no excuse. We don't hit, we lose, you know?

Q. Christian, when is the last time you've seen Chris that good?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: Well, I think '19 before his Tommy John. I think his fastball was electric. That strikeout with Tucker, he showed everybody that he still has the fastball, you know? 97, 98 with that angle was -- it was electric fastball, and a lot of swing and miss today with the slider, so that's a good sign.

Q. Did you see any difference in him after the fifth inning in the sixth inning?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: Not really. He was throwing -- the double, you know, the double with Alvarez too with second and third. I think those two pitches, if I can go back and we can do better in those two pitches, but overall I think he did great, a great job tonight.

Q. This series has changed very dramatically very quickly. I mean, you guys looked like you had everything going right and the last two days haven't been. What are the emotions when sort of the momentum just shifts so fast in a series like this?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: Yeah, we have to get ready to play seven games. We don't quit. This clubhouse still, good attitude. We're going to play two games in Houston for a fact. For sure, yeah.

Q. Christian, Alvarez had gotten the first two hits on fastballs. With that first-pitch fastball, presumably it wasn't in the location that you were looking for. Where were you looking to go? What was the thought process in going back to the fastball there?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: I was trying to go up. I was trying to go up. He is a good low-ball hitter, so we're trying to go up, to get a swing and miss or pop-up early out.

Q. With Alvarez, as good as he looked in the first two at-bats, having Chris left on left there, how do you feel about having him in that spot?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: He is a great hitter. He don't care if it's a righty or lefty. He can hit both, so I think if I can go back, like I said, you know, we can go a better mix there.

Q. Even going back to the Tampa series in Game 2 you guys had been hitting at an historic rate going into last night. What changed? Is it just Houston's pitching? Did the approach change? What is different in your view over the last couple of games?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: I think in Tampa we scored early. I think that's the key for postseason games. 2018, you know, we score -- every win we score first in all the wins. So I think that's a key for postseason, score first. You got more pressure with another team scores first because you're trying to get better hitting, and that pressure is coming.

But I think we need to turn the page and get the off-day tomorrow, and we get back on track in Houston.

Q. The narrative for you guys this year has been overcoming adversity, whether it was COVID stuff, the last week of the season. What's your confidence that you can go to Houston and win two games and punch a ticket to the World Series?

CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ: I think we did it before. We won three games in Houston in 2018. We need to win two, so why not this year too? I think they have a great team, but I like my team. I don't doubt my team. So keep the pressure on and score and, you know, make the routine plays, get the outs, and executing pitches. That's the key for winning.