AL DIVISION SERIES: RED SOX v WHITE SOX

October 4, 2005

A.J. Pierzynski

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: It was big for Jose, more than the rest of us, I think. I had more than one guy come up to me and say "I was a little nervous that first inning." It was big. Jose was huge getting through David and Manny and getting those two guys out, it sent a message. It gave him confidence, and from there, he got on a roll and took over.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: Yeah, but I was trying to take advantage of the situation. The guy on third, two outs, and Millar was climbing way back, and I was trying to get a cheapy. It went foul and worked out. Maybe something different would have happened, but it worked out.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: Our approach there was, let's go get them. It was the first inning and first game, and we'll see what happens. Jose made some great pitches. He pitched him in and away, he moved the ball around. He did everything and then he got him and Manny. He jammed Manny and might have broke his bat and got him to hit a ground ball to third. Those guys are as good at 1-2 as there's in the league. It was really big for Jose.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: It's nice. It means that I've done it before, but it doesn't mean -- you still get a little excited. You still get some butterflies, but, I was just laughing, because the guys come up to you and say, "My hands and legs are shaking," I kind of laugh. I have been there. The first one I ever played in, we made four errors in the first inning, and we fell behind big. It gives you a little bit of a help when you know what to expect. You expect a big crowd and you kind of find a way to focus in and control your emotions.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: It meant we were in the lead. With all the off days in the post-season, it was big to get some of the guys in the game. We got them in and got them through innings and got them to get some outs. Jose was confident. I'm sure some other guys will have their opportunity also.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: I think personally at the time that was the biggest play of the game. They had a lot of momentum going. Ozzie came out and said something to him in Spanish, and then he got that play, and it was a great play not only by Iguchi but by Crede. It wasn't a great throw, and Joe picked it. It stopped their momentum. They had some going, and it kind of shut them down, and we were able to answer right back with Uribe's home run. That was probably the biggest play of the game, stopping the Red Sox's momentum.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: Yeah, I thought those were only for Paulie in the stadium. He's the king and usually hits them all. He didn't get the silent treatment. We have been telling him all year he's going to hit one. He waited for the right time. I couldn't be happier for Scott. He put pressure on them. That's what he does. The best lead-off guy in the game is right there.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: It's not the first time. I can't run very well, but every once in a while, I can sneak one. When I was with Minnesota, Kelly used to preach it to us, "Take an easy RBI." I looked up, and Millar was climbing way back, and I was counting on getting a fastball, and Clement threw me a little slider, and I was kind of mad at myself because it would have been an easy run for us, but it worked out.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: When we first had spring training, Coop and I talked a lot about him picking up the pace trying to get him to use the fastball now. It's not like he's throwing it up there at 85. He's up to 95, 96 miles an hour. Through the course of the year, it's slowly going up. Having El Duque here, it's giving him confidence. He remembered what he did back in Cuba, and he's brought that back, and once the All-Star Game hit, the first game, we had a 1-0 shutout he threw. He's been incredible since then.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: 1 through 9, we have a pretty solid lineup. Uribe hit 15 home runs this year, Crede hit 20 something. We believe those guys can get it done. I think it was his first Playoff game. It's a big confidence booster for them, especially their first at-bat and first game. It will definitely carry over. Again, it's only one game.

A.J. PIERZYNSKI: It says we hit 5 home runs in the game. It doesn't mean anything for tomorrow. These guys aren't going to quit or go away. They've done things that are very special. It means we hit 5 home runs today. David Wells is going to come out and try to stick it up our rear end tomorrow, and we have to bring the same intensity and try to do it again.