AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 20, 2021

Chris Sale

Fenway Park

Boston Red Sox

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Astros 9, Red Sox 1

Q. Chris, talk about your first five innings and then what happened in that big inning?

CHRIS SALE: I was good for five, and then I sucked for one.

Q. Your velo was as good as it's been all year. What was working so well for you over those first five innings?

CHRIS SALE: I had to leave everything out there. I told myself coming into this game I had a job to do, obviously didn't get it done, but I left my nuts out there on that mound tonight, that's for damn sure.

Q. Chris, obviously, it's a tough one for you guys. Just your thoughts on maybe the difficulty of this loss, but also, having an opportunity still ahead of you guys in Game 6.

CHRIS SALE: Yeah. It's tough. You know, we came back to Boston exactly where we wanted to be. You know, we were 1-1. Even took the lead in that Game 1. Just kind of pissed two games away. That's tough any way you cut it. Doesn't matter. You got to take at least one of those.

Not in a good spot going back to Houston. There's no denying that, but this team has won two games in the playoffs back-to-back before, and we think we can do it again.

Q. Chris, Alex talked about just you looking good mechanically those first five innings. What did you feel that was working for you that maybe previously hadn't?

CHRIS SALE: Just that. My mechanics, my rhythm. Tempo was a lot better. That's what I've been working on for the last few weeks now.

Q. Chris, Alvarez really seemed to be the only guy that gave you trouble today. Now, what was it about him and his approach that was tough on you today?

CHRIS SALE: I don't know. Just got to ask him.

Q. In the fourth inning it looked like you really dialed it up to get those two strikeouts at the end and were fired up coming off the mound. Walk us through that and kind of what was going through your mind over that stretch.

CHRIS SALE: Runner in scoring position. One out. Needed two punch-outs. Got them. Showed a little emotion. That was it.

Q. Chris, as much emotion as you had on the mound tonight and as intense as each batter was, in the sixth inning you opened with your misfiring against Altuve. How were you feeling on the mound at that point? What would you say was happening with your ability to execute the pitches as you wanted to that inning?

CHRIS SALE: I felt as good as I did in any other inning, honestly. Trying to stick a fastball away, and I couldn't get it down. Couldn't get it there. I mean, we know this since I was 12 years old, lead-off walks are going to kill you, and it ended up being the straw that broke the back right there. That's on me.

Q. Chris, you mentioned that you guys are obviously in a position you don't want to be in, but what is the confidence level that you guys can put together two wins in Houston, particularly given what the narrative has been this year with you guys overcoming a lot of different types of adversity?

CHRIS SALE: Like I said before, this team has won two games in a row before. Our back is up against the wall, and that's kind of where we've been for a while with our whole year. Obviously, leading up into the playoffs, who we had to play, when we had to play them, all that stuff. We're going to find out.

Q. If this goes to Game 7, could you pitch again? Not as a starter --

CHRIS SALE: I'll pitch tomorrow if I have to. I got nothing else going on for the next six months. It's all hands on deck. It doesn't matter what we -- everyone is available to play in any position. It doesn't matter.