AL WILD CARD SERIES: RAYS VS GUARDIANS

October 8, 2022

Terry Francona

Progressive Field

Cleveland Guardians

Postgame Press Conference

Cleveland Guardians - 1, Tampa Bay Rays - 0

THE MODERATOR: Let's start with Tito.

Q. How are you feeling?

TERRY FRANCONA: Cold (laughing), tired, and pretty excited.

Q. Hero in Game 1 was Ramírez and Game 2 it's González. To win these games in this fashion, what does that say about this team?

TERRY FRANCONA: That we scored one before they did. I mean, this was, we had bases loaded in the 7th, maybe, came up empty. They had their chance late. José and Naylor make a great play. I just kind of figured that it was going to take something like that because it was a day when the pitching was having its way anyway, and then when the shadows came, you could tell guys were having a tough time. Both teams.

Q. With the pitch count, was that probably one of the reasons why you wanted to take out your starter, the bullpen was ready to come in and his pitch count was getting a little high?

TERRY FRANCONA: Well I don't know at this time of year you necessarily look at the number. Just thought that it was time to turn it over to the bullpen. He did his job.

Q. Feel almost perfect that it was Oscar, one of the young guys?

TERRY FRANCONA: I don't think by that point we cared. It could have been one of the old guys. We didn't care. We're not biased. I was happy that he hit it.

Q. You mentioned that play with José and Naylor. We always talk about José's hitting, but just the way he's played third base for you.

TERRY FRANCONA: He kind of willed himself there to make that play. And Naylor, that's a, I don't know if it's a game-saving, it might be a year-saving play. They score on that play and the way things were going we weren't throwing crooked numbers up.

Q. You guys don't hit a lot of home runs. Yet yesterday and today all your runs by home run. Is this a new strategy?

TERRY FRANCONA: Well, yeah, but we didn't score either. We need to probably do a little better on the scoring part. But on a day like today you take it any way you can get it.

Q. As the game's going on that long, you were talking about being tired, but do guys just have those swing of emotions and tired?

TERRY FRANCONA: We talked to 'em before the series started and we said, Like the season where there's ups and downs and ebbs and flows, there will be that in a short series. So just keep grinding, keep playing. And they did a really good job of that. Because there was a lot of frustration on both sides. Nobody was scoring.

Q. Cash said he said, All right, now, look, it's time. Like several times. Were you doing the same thing? Just like every time you get a runner on you're thinking, you know?

TERRY FRANCONA: You're trying to have fun. You're trying to -- you don't want guys to -- but it's agony at the same time. I wouldn't change it for the world. But I was proud of the effort. Hentges going out there for parts of three innings. Guys dug deep and made pitches. Made plays. It ended up being enough. It was tough but it was enough.

Q. Does a scoreless game seem to have more drama than like a 4-4 game in that spot or does it, is there any difference?

TERRY FRANCONA: I don't know. It's tied. It's in the 15th inning. How can there be more? I mean, I don't know. I bet you if it was 4-4 it would feel the same way.

Q. When Oscar hit it though did you know it was gone?

TERRY FRANCONA: It sure seemed like it. Probably would have cried if it didn't.

Q. The fact that you guys have had so many like last at-bat wins. Is there a belief when you get in these spots that, hey, somehow we're going to do this again?

TERRY FRANCONA: Yeah, but I think that's the way people are built. You don't get here without feeling like that. It took us six innings to do it. So it's not like -- I mean you just keep playing no matter what. Because there's going to be frustration. Nobody said it would be easy. But just keep playing. And they did a really good job of that. They continue to do that.

Q. What are your plans for tomorrow?

TERRY FRANCONA: We're actually going to fly to New York.

Q. But at least you get a little --

TERRY FRANCONA: I haven't even thought about that yet. I haven't even -- I just know we're leaving for New York. That's good enough for me.