MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS BRAVES

October 31, 2021

Adam Duvall

Tucker Davidson

A.J. Minter

Truist Park

Atlanta Braves

Postgame 5 Press Conference

Houston - 9, Atlanta - 5

Q. What's the challenge of just going through back-to-back games, a bullpen game in back-to-back games?

A.J. MINTER: I mean, look, I feel like we're right where we want to be. Yeah, it was tough having back-to-back bullpen games, but we have the pitching staff to do that. We have the pitchers to cover innings down there, and a lot of pitchers stepped up today.

It's just one of those games where it was a battle for both sides. You've got to tip your hat for Houston just staying in the game, just battling the at-bats and battling hits, and baseball happened tonight.

But like I said, we're in a really good spot. We're up 3-2, going back to Houston. If you told us that at the beginning of the series, we'd be happy with that.

Q. Adam, take me through the grand slam, and then after that you get all your runs on just basically the two swings. Do you think, as the game progressed, guys were trying to play hero ball?

ADAM DUVALL: Well, with the at-bat, he threw a sinker, started middle. I don't know exactly where it ended up, but it wasn't a terrible spot, I don't think. I was looking for something that started up because I know, if he gets it down, it's going to be a tough pitch to hit. So I saw it up and put a good swing on it.

As far as -- I don't really know what you mean by hero ball. We try to take our A swings every at-bat, and we try to put together good at-bats. That's what we did.

Q. Kind of talk about the emotions as you're rounding the bases with a first inning grand slam in a World Series, and juxtapose that with having to watch that lead disappear so quickly. I guess how did you balance those two emotions?

ADAM DUVALL: It's a nine inning ballgame. We celebrated it. We got excited, and that's what you do when you hit home runs, but it's a long game. That happened in the bottom of the first. It's a nine inning game, and they didn't quit. They kept fighting.

We weren't able to get it going again and keep the pressure on, and that's hat's off to their pitchers. They kept us there when they needed to.

Q. A.J., you've pitched a lot of innings this postseason and haven't had a bad outing before tonight. Do you feel at all fatigued, or was it just a night where you were just missing a little bit?

A.J. MINTER: I wouldn't even call it a bad outing. I felt my stuff was just as sharp tonight as it was in other outings. I felt like I was 1-2, 0-2 on every hitter. Those guys made quality swings on two strikes.

I guess I could have made some better pitches with two strikes, but with Correa, I got him 0-2, left a cutter up, base hit. Got a good strikeout against Alvarez. And then Gurriel, cutter, backdoor cutter. He stuck his bat out there and had a good hit as well.

Obviously with Maldonado, I could tell he was going up there trying to work a walk. For me, it was just I tried to aim the ball instead of just driving it to the mitt. That's obviously the one thing I would take back. And then a shot to -- a flare shot to score two runs, just like that.

I'm not worried about it. I've been pitching good and feeling good, and I'm still feeling good. I'll be ready to go Game 6.

Q. Tucker, what did you feel going into this start once Snit told you? And just kind of take us, how do you evaluate your outing?

TUCKER DAVIDSON: I felt like my stuff was good for sure. After Snit told me I was going to start today, I was definitely feeling the emotion. It's the World Series, and they're a good team. So you have to be on your best team.

I do feel like my stuff was very good. Fastball command wasn't where I wanted it to be. I left some pitches to good hitters over the plate, and they did damage to them. I think that's something I need to focus on more is just fastball committing coming up in these next two outings.

Q. Adam, I don't think you guys have lost consecutive games since the middle of September. What's been the key for you in terms of being able to bounce back after a loss?

ADAM DUVALL: I don't know that stat off the top of my head, but that's what we've been doing all year, especially since I've been here. We've learned to turn the page, and we've learned to celebrate the win or go over the loss and figure out what we need to do better and then turn the page and come back.

It's a quick turnaround, and we play a lot of games. You've got to be short minded and be able to forget when you need to forget. Just turn the page and play your best ball tomorrow.

Q. Adam, it's been a very back-and-forth series thus far. What have you seen from them that makes them so tough to -- obviously, you've got to win four games -- to put them away? What do you expect for this going back to Minute Maid Park in Houston?

ADAM DUVALL: They're not going to quit. They're not going to roll over. We're playing for it all. We're playing for everything right now. We're playing for the dreams that we've had as a little kid.

It's not going to be easy. This time of the year, all throughout the postseason it's not going to be easy. You've got guys that are willing to run through walls for a win.

Like I said, we've got an off day tomorrow, travel day, and we'll turn the page and get back at 'em.

Q. Tucker, four nights ago you were watching on TV. What was going through your mind as you ran out to the mound there? Were you able to focus on the game immediately, or did you soak it in?

TUCKER DAVIDSON: I definitely soaked it in. Walking out to the bullpen to warm up, I definitely soaked it in. People were chanting my name, and kind of taking that all in.

Whenever you get out there, it felt like another game. Just slow down, the emotions are going to be there, and let's just compete.

Q. What were you doing when the phone rang with Snit calling this morning?

TUCKER DAVIDSON: I was laying in bed. I'd probably been up for 30 minutes at that time.

Q. What did you think when the phone rang?

TUCKER DAVIDSON: I was pumped. I was like let's go do this. This is what I wanted to do, start a game in the World Series. It's been a dream of mine for my entire life. Whenever you get that opportunity, you want to make the most of it.

Q. Did you think that was the call when you saw his number?

TUCKER DAVIDSON: Yes.