NL WILD CARD SERIES: MARLINS VS PHILLIES

October 3, 2023

Skip Schumaker

Citizens Bank Park

Miami Marlins

Postgame Press Conference

Q. You always say starting pitching is really what sets everything up. What did you see from Luzardo, and also on the other side, Wheeler, what was he doing where you guys couldn't do much through the first six?

SKIP SCHUMAKER: I think the story was Wheeler. He was excellent tonight. The sinker/sweeper combination gave us trouble. A lot of weak ground ball contact.

We had a chance a few times to score a couple runs, just couldn't get the two-out hit. But I think the story was Wheeler. He was just excellent.

Zeus got out of a big jam, but I thought -- a couple times, but I thought the first pitch strike just wasn't there tonight. Usually it is, and that's when he can get to his really good slider. He just didn't really have the command like he usually does the first few innings, and the pitch count kind of ran up on him in the fourth and just had to kind of get him out of there.

Q. With the way things are now -- I know during the regular season you said try not to make any game bigger than the other. You're not the rah-rah speech kind of guy. Is there a message for the guys heading into a win or go home game tomorrow?

SKIP SCHUMAKER: I think they know what's at stake. I think they know what tomorrow means. We're going to do the same thing we've always done is go on game plan and try to beat Nola tomorrow. That's what we have always done, and I don't think that's going to change tomorrow.

Q. You guys obviously scored so many runs later in games, but through six, Wheeler very, very efficient. Seventh, you kind of make him work. How, especially looking forward to tomorrow, can you guys make that happen sooner in a game so you guys aren't playing behind?

SKIP SCHUMAKER: I'd love to score first. That would be great. We've, for whatever reason, been really good in the seventh, eighth, and ninth inning this year. That's kind of been our MO. Yeah, we'd really like to score first tomorrow. We faced a really good pitcher tonight. Wheeler was on his game, and we just couldn't get anything going.

We had a chance, Alvarado against Alvarado, when he did come out of the game, and he made a really good pitch to Gurriel and got out of a pretty big jam. They got an insurance run in the eighth inning, and we ended up losing the game.

For the most part, I thought we did pretty well, got guys in scoring position. Bell had a big game. We just couldn't get that big hit.

Q. Less about a message, but just -- it hasn't been easy for you guys this year. You've been resilient. Do you expect anything less now that it is coming down to an elimination game? The odds have been stacked up against you all season.

SKIP SCHUMAKER: Yeah, we're used to it. I don't know how many times we've won a first game of a series, but we end up winning the series. Hopefully that's the case this time. Again, it's a really good team, playoff tested. The crowd was into it, no doubt about it.

But I thought we played a pretty clean game overall. Again, we just couldn't get anything going against Wheeler, and he was excellent.

Q. You mentioned the crowd with the 45,000 in the building. Do you think that played into Luzardo being off of his game at all tonight?

SKIP SCHUMAKER: No. This is the playoffs. It's going to be loud wherever you go. I just feel like -- he didn't walk anybody. It wasn't like he was walking all kinds of guys. He got into some deep counts, and I just felt like the slider was just a little bit off. Maybe gripping it, ripping it maybe too hard, maybe ball out of hand sometimes.

I thought Fortes actually blocked his butt off all game long and kept it within striking distance. It could have been a lot more than three runs, and he got out of some big jams and kept us in the game. Our bullpen kept us in the game. We were one swing away a couple times from tying it up, just didn't happen.

So, no, I think Zeus was fine. Maybe fired up a little bit in the first inning, but really settled in after that.

Q. Did you see maybe a little bit more anxiety for the players, for the Marlins players, during the first three innings at-bat?

SKIP SCHUMAKER: No. No, they were ready to go. They were excited to be here and excited for the opportunity.

Q. Two things. I think leadoff hit by Sanchy for one inning. Any consideration considering the pitcher going against you, trying to bunt him over? And also decision going with Okert rather than, let's say, Nardi? Was it more so because you guys were behind?

SKIP SCHUMAKER: Bunting Bertie for Fortes?

Q. Yes.

SKIP SCHUMAKER: No, I didn't consider that, not that early in the game. Bertie has been taking some good at-bats lately. So I wasn't considering doing that. What was the other one, Okert?

Q. Yeah.

SKIP SCHUMAKER: Actually, Okert against Harper and kind of that lane, we were trying to -- if we tied it or within one, we would have went to Nardi, but it felt like Okey right there, it was a good spot for him. We just couldn't get -- Castellanos hit a double down the line, and it ended up being a triple, I guess. I don't know what they ruled it as.

Really good swing. Wheeled Harper in. We just couldn't get the relay in time. Yes, we considered it if we scored another run or two.