NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS v CARDINALS

October 18, 2004

Tony La Russa

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, that's what I've heard before. They had a lot of momentum coming in this game. They didn't score until the ninth. It's all about the starting pitcher starting it off, and then the offense gets going. Means they've gotten to three before we did. Now we have to go home and get the crowd to give us a boost and find a way to win the next game we play.

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, Backe was outstanding. I mean, that was -- I think he made a lot of great pitches. I think Ausmus mixes things up. You never knew for sure what was next. Just an outstanding piece of pitching. Woody (Williams) was just as outstanding. He actually strained his calf running to first base first time up there. We didn't know if he could pitch inning to inning. He ends up giving us seven. You're not supposed to use the word "hero" in sports, but that was a heroic performance with his calf bothering him the way it was. That was two starting pitchers that were terrific.

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, it's a little shocking. The way you got to think in those games, some way, somehow we're going to break through, we're going to break through. It's going to be our game. We've done too much to lose it. Great defense. On the other side, they were doing the same thing. So top of the ninth was a big one. We had the top of our lineup, then they had 2 through the rest of them. So we couldn't push it across, and they did.

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, when I went to the mound, didn't try - I didn't want him worrying so much about a stolen base as he gave Berkman a cookie. I said if the guy steals second, we're going to go after Kent. You have the double play in order. Berkman is swinging the bat too well.

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, I'm such a rabid Cardinal fan; I appreciate our defense more than I appreciate theirs. But it was really a well-played game, well-pitched game. Brutal ending.

TONY LaRUSSA: I mean, I think we're going to be anxious to play. I don't even think in those terms. Schedule says we're off, we're off. If we were playing tomorrow, we'd be ready to go. Like I say, I think we're looking forward to getting home. I'm sure our fans will be ready to support us. All we have to do is win Wednesday.

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, as I said when I made the trip to the mound, we set it up. Izzy goes 2-2, he's not going to give him anything to hit. He's going to play around with the edges of the strike zone. Suppose it bounces and that guy goes to third. You're better off not trying to get too cute. He threw a cutter, got it up a little bit, hit it in the seats. If he got it down, maybe it was a double-play ball.

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, it's real simple; we're going to rely on what we've had all year long as far as a ball team with pitching, defense and scoring runs. We're going to play at home. We have to win Wednesday.

TONY LaRUSSA: There hasn't been one situation this team faced where I haven't liked our chances. I really like the club. I know we'll be ready Wednesday. We understand that we have to win the game to play on Thursday. So, yeah, I like our chances and I love our club.