NL WILD CARD SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS BREWERS

October 3, 2023

Torey Lovullo

American Family Field

Arizona Diamondbacks

Postgame Press Conference

Arizona Diamondbacks 6, Milwaukee Brewers 3

Q. So just the question coming in yesterday was how much experience would matter in a series like this. How did you like how your young guys especially came out and solidified a win for you guys?

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah, you are always concerned about reading the room, watching what's going on, making sure the youngsters that have never played in a playoff game, several of who are rookies and are cycling through their first go-around at the big league level, period, you always have small concerns.

I mean, we had several step up today in a really, really big way. I don't think Pfaadt particularly threw his best game today, but when he needed to make some pitches and get a big out or two, he did. I thought wiggling out of his first situation in the first inning showed that he was ready. He was ready to go. He made an 0-2 mistake, and that was a big blow to his outing.

Overall, I felt like the youngsters were ready. I couldn't be more proud of this group for what they did falling behind 3-0 in an away ballpark in a playoff scenario, they fought all night long, and that was the entire team as well.

Q. Could you talk just about Longo and his defense and the decision to put him in, and he paid off in a big way tonight?

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah. I talked about his steadiness, his demeanor, his experience, and I have a good feeling when I look out there and he is standing at third base or he is up at the plate, so I can only imagine what some of his younger teammates or all of his teammates were feeling.

So he ends up getting a big base hit, making some unbelievable defensive plays, and really saved us in a couple of key situations.

Obviously the double play was a huge play that got us out of that fourth or -- I think it was the fifth inning, but equally important was the base hit, potential double that he took away -- or the double that he took away that turned into a double play.

So he was ready, and it's just a very calm veteran presence that we all needed, and I think we built off of him.

Q. It was obviously early, but it seemed like that home run by Corbin kind of changed the whole mood. What did you feel when that ball went out? Was the vibe different in the dugout after that?

TOREY LOVULLO: I would agree with you, yeah. I think at that point, we all exhaled, and I think we collectively got our feet underneath us and felt very good about the direction in which we were going.

We felt like if we can compete, we keep the game where it was at 3-2 with Corbin, that we would -- Corbin Burnes, I'm sorry -- that we would stay with the striking distance. We felt good about that.

Then literally seven seconds later, the score is tied, and then one inning later, we're ahead. So it was a huge lift. I think it motivated us. We were obviously motivated, but we were a little bit staggered by falling down 3-0, but that stabilized us. It was a huge hit.

Q. Corbin talked about -- Corbin Burnes talked about you guys working some deep counts and some at-bats the second time through. You talked a lot about seeing mature at-bats from your guys. Is that kind of what you saw today?

TOREY LOVULLO: For sure. We know that when we had success against them here, we got into some deep counts, took some pitches, borderline pitches, made them work a little bit harder. I think there was even an open comment that I may have read that he was going to make some adjustments or he didn't -- we made some adjustments on him because he shut us down at Chase Field. I'm getting that right, I think.

We felt like what drove us the last time, we need to be stubborn in the zone and look to the pitch. We wanted to strike. It worked out really, really well.

When you get a pitcher like Corbin Burnes out of the game in the fifth inning, you are doing a lot right. You get a pitcher like Corbin Burnes off the mound in the fifth inning and he is not winning, you have done a lot right. So I feel like we had a really good game plan today.

Q. I know you wanted more out of Pfaadt there, but talk about navigating. Take us through navigating six and one-third from your bullpen tonight.

TOREY LOVULLO: If I had a chance to speak openly to start this process here, I would have spoke about our bullpen. Obviously there's several highlights. Christian Walker doubled to extend the lead, the home runs, but our bullpen was the reason why we won this game.

I wish we got more out of Brendan Pfaadt. I just felt like once he got to a certain point, we had a gassed-up bullpen, knowing that Zac is going tomorrow with Merrill on the back side of that, that we could maneuver a little bit to keep this game close.

It was one after the other that came in and executed and did a really good job. I know Ryne Nelson -- we fell one inning short, and Kevin Ginkel picked him up. That's why it was a team effort. Ryne Nelson, I wanted to get him through that inning and maybe extend him into the next inning as well. That didn't work out, but that's what we have a team for, and they all picked one another up.

Q. Entering the playoffs, hitting was a little bit of a struggle for this team or consistency, I should say. What was different tonight compared to the final stretch of the season just to really kick it into high gear and make a lot of good contact?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think the guys reengaged and understood that this is a three-game chess match. You just have to be at your competitive best and get stubborn in the zone. We felt like we had a good game plan against Corbin Burnes the time beat him here, and we reverted back to that.

I know we were trying to check off his curve ball. That was part of the game plan. He wasn't landing that as of late in several of his outings. So I think we just had a game plan and were stubborn to it.

It's just a different vibe right now. Our guys know that the stakes have increased, and they are excited about going out there and getting the job done, and I think the offense took it personal that they didn't have a really good four or five game stretch there to finish the season. That's my gut feeling. I think they were ready for this challenge.

Q. You just beat their best. You have your two guys lined up. How do you feel about where you sit at the moment?

TOREY LOVULLO: I mean, you win Game 1, it feels good. We have to do it right and take nothing for granted and stay humble and come here tomorrow and play our finest game and try to close them out.

They're going to come with everything they have. That's for sure. I feel much better than I would have -- I would be feeling if we lost this game. I know that. But we beat their ace. They're going to try to beat ours tomorrow. So we'll be ready to go.

Q. At various points in their careers, I think both Gabi Moreno and Corbin Carroll maybe had their power abilities doubted a little bit. Corbin maybe because of his size. Gabi because of his approach. The homers they hit today, Corbin is almost 450 feet. Gabi the longest of his career, maybe 425. What can you say about the ability that those guys have to hit for power?

TOREY LOVULLO: My personal feeling is having spent 10-11 years in player development, we talked about having a good approach, learning how to be a good hitter and letting the power come last.

Of course, there are young players that are targeted as power hitters, but I still think they were growing into their bodies and their strength, and they just were trying to figure out what type of hitter, player they were going to be.

We always knew that Corbin had great power potential. He had tremendous bat speed, great bat-to-ball skill, and we felt like that bat was going to come in time.

Gabi, we're still learning a lot about. I'm sorry. We learned a lot about over the course of his 400 at-bats this year. I love the approach, and that's part of the reason why he is hitting fifth. He is a very stubborn at-bat. He is a tough at-bat. He can hit a ball out of the ballpark at any time.

One that stands out to me was the right center approach in Toronto. I think he had a solo home run the opposite field. You have to do a lot right to do that. He has some pop. He has enough pop, and he is in a really good spot offensively every single pitch.

Q. What happened with Jake pregame getting removed?

TOREY LOVULLO: There was a move late in the afternoon here. I think it was his first round at BP. He talked about taking a swing and feeling something grab him back here. So he has an oblique strain. I don't have a lot of information about what number it is. I just know that it was serious enough that we maneuvered and put Jace Peterson on the roster in his place.

Jake is officially out of the series, and I'll get a diagnosis for you in the coming day.