NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 11, 2022

Rob Thomson

Truist Park

Philadelphia Phillies

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Phillies - 7, Braves - 6

Q. What did you think of Castellanos today?

ROB THOMSON: Outstanding, swung the bat really well. Had some big hits. Made a great play in the ninth on that sliding catch to get the second out of the ninth.

I hope that's the start of something, because he's been out for a long time and maybe he's really getting his timing back now.

Q. Feels like after the season he's had he's been waiting for his Phillies moment. Would you say this is it?

ROB THOMSON: Yeah, I mean, it's a big moment, you know, in this series, first game of the series, to win this game is huge for us. He's had some big moments. He hit a home run here earlier in the season that won a game for us. But that was a great game for him.

Q. What were your thoughts during the ninth inning of Eflin stuff-wise, and how they ended up getting through it?

ROB THOMSON: Well, Acuña gets on in an infield single. He gets behind Swanson, it's a double to right. Big strikeout on Riley, huge. And then he tried to rip a fastball and Olson got him but then he settled in and got the end of the inning.

So Ef, although he gave up three runs, he will not scare. His heartbeat won't change. He's not going to walk people. He's going to attack people. That's what I like about him.

Q. And also on Seranthony's work today how he's progressed and how he's looking. He had some tough times during the end of the season.

ROB THOMSON: Incredible. His last outing in St. Louis was huge for him, I think, for his confidence, and these two innings today were magnificent. Him and Alvarado did a great job.

I thought Bellatti did a great job closing out, I think it was the fourth. I thought Brad Hand did a great job closing out the, I don't know what it was, the fifth, I guess. Brad Hand hasn't been in a game in a long time. And that's where that experience comes into play, I think, and he did just a remarkable job.

Q. You wiggled out of trouble in the first inning. How did that set the tone to your mind for the rest of the day given how Atlanta did in their half of it?

ROB THOMSON: We come out and we score early, and then they loaded the bases. We got the big double play. Ranger didn't throw as many strikes as he normally does. That's the bottom line. But when he needed to, he made big pitches. And so I'm proud of him for that.

But I think he probably would tell you that he needs to throw more strikes and get ahead and make pitches. But when the game was on the line or the inning was on the line, he made the pitches that he needed to. So it was good.

Q. Just on the offense, Rob, what did you think of some of the small ball later in the game helping because you needed every run? And even some surprise bunt attempts from people who don't usually do it, Bryce and Kyle.

ROB THOMSON: This is a very unselfish club, and that's the way they're playing. We get ahead and they're adding on runs. Vierling, big bunt to move a runner over.

Our situational hitting was really good today. Our base running was really good, taking extra bases and sac flies. And I just thought we played a really good game overall defensively running the bases and our offense was really, really good.

Q. Were the attempts called on by the coaching staff like, say, for Schwarber and Harper, or is that giving them free rein?

ROB THOMSON: That's giving them free rein, but for the most part I would like those guys swinging the bat unless they're leading off an inning, we're down and we need some runs, that type of thing. But the Vierling run was on his own. He was giving himself up, moving a runner, nobody out with a runner at second base. And I thought that was a really good play.

Q. You had Marsh come in the game and you moved Vierling over to left for Schwarber. Why not Nick in right. What was the thought process there?

ROB THOMSON: I think I like the way Nick's been playing the outfield lately. I really do. And so I decided to stay with it. That could change moving forward, but I thought he was good.

And I don't think, if the move was for Guthrie, that would be the move. I don't think he catches the ball; it's over his head. And Nick made the great play on the slide play.

Q. How big was Sosa today, his defense?

ROB THOMSON: Huge. Big double play in the first inning. A double to get it going a little bit. I thought he played great. I really did. And no ill effects on the hamstring. That was good news, too.

Q. In that first inning you guys had some success swinging early, and, I mean, I think you were in the 8 hole and he had only 14 pitches. Was that a conscious thing or was that just where the pitches were?

ROB THOMSON: I think it's just where the pitches were. I think I don't think there was a plan to go out there and be overaggressive. They only throw strikes so you've got to be ready to hit, and if you get your pitch then go get it, put a swing at it.

There was no meeting this morning saying, okay, we're going to go out there and be super aggressive or anything like that.

Q. Just in general you get Game 1 and you have Wheeler on his day and Nola with an extra day. Do you feel like you are kind of in a good spot here?

ROB THOMSON: Anytime you have Wheeler and Nola going, I think you feel good. But you also have to understand, respect what they have over there. Because they've got some pretty good pitching too. We have to just keep playing one game at a time, one pitch at a time.

We've just got to worry about tomorrow. But I always feel good when those two guys are pitching, I can tell you that.