NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 16, 2024

Kike Hernandez

Citi Field

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Dodgers - 8, Mets - 0

Q. How was the wind affecting fly balls out there tonight? And did it put some doubt into your mind after you hit that one in the sixth?

KIKÉ HERNÁNDEZ: So right before, like during BP, Clayton McCullough, first base/outfield coach, he came and talked to me about how they did a study or something about the wind here. In the first three innings, I believe, I think it was until 9:00 p.m. or something like that, the wind will, like, go straight from the first base dugout to left field. And then after that it will just shift the other way, kind of like to right-center stream a little bit.

I mean, I didn't think it was true after Lindor hit me a fly ball in the first inning. I almost overran it because the ball started coming back. It didn't make any sense to me that the wind was supposed to be blowing to left-center if the ball came back towards center field. But all the other fly balls played true.

And then as far as my homer, I knew I hit it, and I thought it was going to be wagon. I saw Nimmo try to jump for it. And I kind of panicked for half a second. I don't care if there was an inside the parker, a homer is a homer.

Q. Was it just as big to get on base before Shohei? You might have heard he's a different hitter with runners on base?

KIKÉ HERNÁNDEZ: Definitely. Hitting ninth is a little bit different than hitting seventh or eighth with that guy behind me. We've all seen the difference of the at-bats with runners on base and nobody on.

So, yeah, first two at-bats I was pretty upset I wasn't able to get on for him. And third at-bat, the whole mentality was to try to get on base, and especially after two strikes, I was trying to battle it to put myself in a position to either walk or get a hit. I swung at a pitch that was probably head high and was able to foul it off.

I told myself to slow down because I caught myself in swing mode. The very next pitch he hung a split and I was able to get enough on it.

Q. You said in the locker room that Walker likes the big stage. I'm sure you've been asked this, but you do very well in these situations. What allows you to fare well on the bigger stage?

KIKÉ HERNÁNDEZ: I've talked about this a lot. I do a lot of visualization at night, the night before the games, and I try to put myself in every position, every situation that you can come up with during the game.

I visualize myself having success over and over against their entire pitching staff and things like that.

But also the fact that I've had a pretty good track record in October. I can't help it but bring me confidence. And it just makes you believe that you take your game to another level. I try to take it one game at a time, and I'm glad that I was able to contribute to the win tonight.

Q. I know he's in the room and it may be awkward to answer but what have you learned about Walker --

KIKÉ HERNÁNDEZ: Oh, no. Oh, no. Couldn't you ask the question before he got here.

Who else? I don't care -- there's certain players that like the spotlight, that like playing in October. And those guys, I mean, I can attest to that. It doesn't matter what the regular season looks like. When this comes, we start over. We start at zero and we do it one game at a time.

And this guy has proven year after year that when there's a big game and the Dodgers need a win, he's the right guy to be on the mound.

Every time he's on the mound, especially in October, we feel good about our chances. He had to dig deep tonight. He had to battle it out, but he got the job done. He got the contact when he needed the contact. He got the swing and miss when we needed a swing and miss.

Yeah, the only thing I'm bummed about is we weren't able to score a couple runs in the fifth inning to allow him to go out there one more time and allow him to get the W. But I'm sure you'll get an Instagram from him W or who else, so enjoy that.