NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 9, 2023

Travis D'arnaud

Austin Riley

Truist Park

Atlanta Braves

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Q. What is the feeling now? You guys have had so many exciting wins over the years, but I mean, how does this excitement rank compared to some of those other big wins?

TRAVIS d'ARNAUD: You know, every playoff win is exciting. I think the way it ended was one of the most exciting ending two games I've ever seen as far as a defensive standpoint. We got Money Mike making a crazy catch on the wall and us doubling up Harper to close it out.

It was really emotional, especially the way we came back. So that was one of my favorite postseason games ever.

Q. To both you guys, when Ronald scores on the bobble there, does that give the team a little energy?

AUSTIN RILEY: Yeah, I was actually looking down putting some pine tar on my bat. I didn't catch him actually scoring. Like I said, anytime you get Ronald on the base, he's a threat. He's pushing his chances. And like I said, he's in scoring position a lot.

So I think that just set it right there. Ozzie getting the hit right there and then just kept rolling and Travis with the big homer. Just a good win.

TRAVIS d'ARNAUD: Then Riles with the big homer. Ronnie got the crowd back in it. I think that was the biggest thing. Got the crowd back in it and got momentum back on our side.

Q. Going into that bat versus Wheeler, how much of the familiarity having caught him for years helped and what was your approach going into that?

TRAVIS d'ARNAUD: He's such a good pitcher. Truthfully I think I just get lucky. And that at-bat, I was just trying to hit the ball on the barrel. My first at-bat I chased, that was over my head, and my second at-bat, I flew one out. So I was just trying to get good contact and I got rewarded with an extra base hit. So that's how I'm looking at it.

Q. You guys have done it so many times all year with the late runs, late home runs. Did you feel just as confident tonight though against a guy like Wheeler when he was pitching as well as he did?

AUSTIN RILEY: Yeah. We were trying to stay as positive as possible in that dugout. Everybody was saying we just gotta keep going, gotta keep going. He had an unbelievable night.

He was very dominant. And like I said, I think guys just -- that next-guy mentality, and I think just feeding off each other and trying to get the ball rolling. And like Travis said, once we got that crowd back in it, good things happen.

Q. And what was your view of Mike's play?

AUSTIN RILEY: I think the only reason I was in the position that I was because I was screaming one and just momentum just kept pulling me that way. And it ended up just being right spot at the right time.

Q. What was the feeling after that home run for Travis, after that error on the throw to second, and then you hit the home run, I saw your face, like was that like a relief or something after that home run?

TRAVIS d'ARNAUD: You know, errors happen. As long as it was a physical error more than a mental error, you just gotta wash it off. But more than anything, there was still a lot of game left. So I had to stay calm and relaxed even though I just hit a homer to put us down by one. That's why my face was the way it was.

Q. Austin, can you take us through your homer? How did that moment kind of compare with the walk-off in the 2021 NLCS?

AUSTIN RILEY: Just trying to put up a competitive at-bat. At the end of the day, you're not trying to do too much, and just try to be in the moment. I actually stepped out and looked over, and I sometimes overstride when big moments and get too amped up, and he just kind of was telling me to calm down.

And I was just trying to put a barrel on the ball. That's all it was. It's definitely up there with my top ones. Like I said, for me, it's the crowds that does it, how loud it gets, fighting with this team, just unbelievable, unbelievable team. Obviously still a lot of work to do. Just going to enjoy this one tonight.

Q. Austin, that's not your average launch angle there. What are you thinking as that loft there, that home run, and just explain that through, when you hear the crowd erupt as you're going down the line?

AUSTIN RILEY: Only thing I was thinking of is I know there's a short fence down there. Hopefully it gets over it. And luckily it did, and just like I said, you just try to take those moments in, because postseason is special.

It's awesome, awesome time of year, awesome baseball. And like I said, to do it with these guys, we fight 162 games out of the year plus spring. We're with each other so much. Just try to enjoy it with them as much as possible.

Q. Austin, it's always important to play well this time of year, but knowing you had a disappointing NLDS a year ago, how important was it for you to bounce back this year?

AUSTIN RILEY: Yeah. Like I said, you try and learn with every opportunity that you're given, good or bad. And just try to move forward, try to grow from it. Just trying to be the most complete human being and competitor and baseball player I can be. And like I said, luckily the Lord willing, He put me in a position to help the team win tonight.

Q. Austin, you mentioned your momentum carrying you towards second base on that last play. So you were not that far from Harper. By chance did you get a look at him as he realized what was going down?

AUSTIN RILEY: No. No. Like I said, I was just screaming one, one, one, as loud as I could and just trying to read -- see where the ball was going. And like I said, I think it was just one of those things where right place, right time.