WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL D - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC VS VENEZUELA

March 11, 2023

Martin Perez

Anthony Santander

David Peralta

LoanDepot Park

Team Venezuela

Postgame Press Conference

Venezuela 5, Dominican Republic 1

Q. Martin, good evening. After the first two hitters you started down 1-0. What were your thoughts at that point in time? Any adjustments? You came back and continued pitching for two more innings.

MARTIN PEREZ: Yes, I was able to control the game a little better. I tried to control my emotions, and that's very important. I started executing my pitches and to do what I like to do, that is to locate my pitches well on the corners, and that was key in the game to pitch the way I did.

I believe that as a team we did a great job. The pitchers attacked the zone. We did our job, and the hitters also responded.

Q. Anthony, Omar said that during batting practice games you were one of the players that had over 60 at-bats, but he also said that your swing in those practice games didn't look like 60 times. Today you hit a home run and a triple. Did you make any adjustments for that? Did you make any changes compared to the practice games with today?

ANTHONY SANTANDER: It's a game of adjustments. Not every day you feel well, you know, but I was able to continue playing in the practice games, and I felt better today with great results.

Q. A follow-up question: Omar said that you talked to him, and you convinced him that you had to be in that spot in the order. Why did you speak at that point in time? And, Martin, with how the game started, the difficulties, did you see the ghosts from 2017?

MARTIN PEREZ: No, that's passed. I'm mature enough to make adjustments quickly. I was staying in the present. What I did just to minimize the damage, I located my pitches. Salvador and I had plan. I just wanted to locate my pitches, and that was something that was natural.

We applied the game plan, and that's why we had accomplished good results.

ANTHONY SANTANDER: On my side I'm a very positive person, thank God. This is a game of adjustments. We don't feel well every day. I was able to convince the manager to leave me in that position of the lineup. I'm always positive.

Q. What was it like for both of you to play in such an overwhelmingly exuberant environment, and did that kind of feed into the momentum that you all carried?

MARTIN PEREZ: I don't think so. I think we have good feeling in the clubhouse. I think that's the key. You know, just come here, do our job together. It's a lot for us, especially against the DR.

You know, every time we go out there, we just want to compete, no matter what happens. It's a nine-inning game, and you've got to go out there and compete no matter what.

Q. In the second inning, Martin, can you tell me what you did against Julio and Soto? Omar said that that was the key to winning the game. What did you see in that second inning, and what can you say about the pitching?

MARTIN PEREZ: There were 15 strikeouts. Like I said yesterday, this is a short tournament. If we do what we are supposed to do, if we make it simple, the results will come.

I will try to do just what I had to do. I trusted my pitching repertoire, and I tried to locate the pitches, and that worked with both players. Soto his first at-bat he got a hit, but in his second at-bat I just wanted to make a good execution of the pitches, and I made it. The same with Julio.

Julio is a very talented guy. I pitched him low in the zone, and that's why I achieved that result. Generally speaking, we are all on the same page. We came with a goal. We started on the right foot, but we cannot be overconfident. We'll continue working. We have great energy in the clubhouse. Good chemistry. All the pitchers want to do their best in order to contribute to the team and win.

Q. Question for both: What do you think about the atmosphere in the ballpark? I think there were more Dominican fans, but anyway, what did you think about the fans, the drums, the flags, et cetera? Because in the regular season games aren't like that, right?

OMAR LOPEZ: Yes, I know that in this kind of tournament they allow these kind of instruments. We have been playing for a long time at this level. It's not that noisy, but we come from a Latino country, and that is not a surprise for us. We tried to enjoy the game, and that is why we won.

Q. A question for the three of you: After the record of losses of Venezuela versus the Dominican Republic does this victory taste sweeter more than a regular victory, especially in this WBC?

MARTIN PEREZ: Of course, I think so. Our history versus the DR has been always negative, but we cannot be overconfident. As they say in baseball, baseball is unpredictable. We have to continue playing like today, everyone contributing, doing their job in order to get the victory.

DAVID PERALTA: Well, to me this is my first Classic, and I have always said that the past is in the past. Today we won. That's what really matters. We celebrated today, but we have to continue playing. We have to be prepared for tomorrow.

ANTHONY SANTANDER: He said everything. I don't have to add anything to that answer.

Q. Greetings from Puerto Rico. You said that this first victory against the Dominican Republic was important, but you have to play Puerto Rico tomorrow. Puerto Rico has won the last three games. Six years later do you think you can change that history versus Puerto Rico?

MARTIN PEREZ: Like I say, we continue playing and competing. We have great talent on the team, and the guys know what to do when we go out to the field. Like I said, we cannot be overconfident. We have to continue playing our baseball, and everyone contributing forward.

Q. David, that at-bat against Sandy when you got the first hit, bases loaded, two outs, two strikes. What are you thinking at that time? Can you all speak about how many games like this have you played in your career? It was a very exciting game.

DAVID PERALTA: I can answer the last question. I had never played in this kind of atmosphere, exciting with energy, representing my country. It was not easy for me to calm down when I was at bat, but we are professionals, and we know what to do in that kind of situation. I had to calm down to control my emotions. I took a deep breath two times. We recognize the quality of Alcantara as a pitcher, but you have to be ready, and that's what happened.

Q. You were speaking about the plan for Salvador. We have seen Omar was calling the pitches. Who leads? How do you coordinate that?

MARTIN PEREZ: I think it's the conviction that you have at that time. I was convinced that our plan would work. Salvador trusts in what he is going to do as a catcher, and I trust in my pitching.

Like I said before, I had tried to limit the damage. I tried to slow down the game a little bit. In the second inning, for example, they had the bases loaded. I was focused. I did what I had to do, and then our team scored some runs. We are convinced we can do a lot, and we continue competing, going forward.

Tomorrow we have another game, and we have to be prepared for that.

Q. David and Anthony, you were in the lower positions in the lineup. You drove in all the runs after two outs. What can you say about that approach? Two outs, two strikes, and what you did to drive in those runs.

ANTHONY SANTANDER: Never give up. We have to take advantage of these opportunities. We were focused with two strikes, and the team had a chance to score more runs, and that's what we did today.

Q. Martin spoke about Puerto Rico, David, Anthony. My question, tomorrow you will be facing Jose Berrios. Have you played him in the Big Leagues, and can you speak a little bit about Puerto Rico?

DAVID PERALTA: I think in the Classic there are no easy teams. We should be with the same mindset, with the same strength and power that we had today. All the teams are good. All the teams are the same, and that's why we are all here.

ANTHONY SANTANDER: I support what he said.

DAVID PERALTA: Support it. This is the way we work as a team, and that's why we won.

MARTIN PEREZ: He said supported, so... (laughter) Thank you.