NL DIVISION SERIES: ASTROS v BRAVES

October 9, 2005

Jason Lane

JASON LANE: I think it means a ton for us to see a guy who's got some experience and to kind of break the ice and get some big hits early in the game like he has. For guys who might be a little nervous, I think he just settles everyone in, and everyone just goes about their business. I think he's just done a great job of setting the tone early in the games.

JASON LANE: It feels good. Especially games like yesterday when they're walking Mike Lamb and I understand why they would do it, but at the same time it kind of calls you out a little bit. Don't want to be a weak link. I think just it's been nice to come through and get a couple hits and drive some runs in and do my part. I think that's just been the great thing about this team, is everyone's been doing their part and no one's trying to carry the team. Everyone's been chipping in. I think that's why we have been able to score the runs we have in Game 1 and Game 3.

JASON LANE: You know, it definitely feels good to get those guys some runs. Andy and Roy, they both pitched great. I don't think that our offense is really second-guessing itself. I think we know what we're capable of doing; it's just a matter of executing. I think in the playoffs and the last couple games of the season, we've executed better than we have all year and so we've been able to score some runs. That's just what it takes. We have to get guys on and then execute and get runners in from third with less than two outs. Little things like that. Get guys over. We've done a great job of that. When we do that, we do score runs. The times we have been shut out, we haven't got baserunners on and haven't executed real well.

JASON LANE: No. I hit that good. I wish I could have kept it fair and see where it would have gone.

JASON LANE: I think it's huge. I mean, the crowd gets so loud out there, I don't know if I've ever played at any place on the road where I've experienced anything that loud. I just can't imagine, if I'm a hitter facing Lidge, we're down a run or a couple runs in a tight situation, trying to concentrate with that kind of noise. I think it's definitely to our advantage. It's a lot of fun playing out there on our side, too. You know you got the crowd behind you, and you do something good and you hear them roar like they do, it's a great feeling.

JASON LANE: I slept pretty good last night. I didn't watch the end of it. I tried to get to bed. But it is definitely, being an hour earlier playing at 12 today instead of usually we play at 1:00, it is a quick turnaround. But I think with all the adrenaline in the playoff situation, I don't think it will affect anybody.

JASON LANE: I think we're in a great position. I think everyone wants to go ahead and close it out. You never want to have to go back to Atlanta for a final game; anything could happen. I think it would be great to celebrate today in front of our fans. We can get a little time to regroup before we'd have to go to St. Louis.