AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: RED SOX v YANKEES

October 15, 2003

Nomar Garciaparra

Jason Varitek

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: I don't know about any pitches. All I've done is go up there the same as I have been. I get a lot of confidence and a lot of support from my teammates, and the team's been unbelievable all year around. Just like, hey, go out there, keep doing what you're doing, keep going, a lot of prayer going out there and a lot of support and hopefully good pitches, put the bat on the ball and I was able to do that today.

JASON VARITEK: We have battled and fought against these guys all year. We had to play them 18 times and both of our teams have changed in different ways at different times. That's what baseball is about, really.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: Going into today's game and you're down 3-2; we're going to Game 7. Glad that we're able to have a game seven, that's for sure. As Tek said, two great teams and they really are. Two great teams that will go out there and do their best and see what happens.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: I don't know if it was a sense of urgency, just a feeling that this team has had all year long, where it's like, all right, every inning, you know, let's go do it, let's try to get some runs. That's the way the team has played throughout the year, it's like that, it's like, all right, there's three outs, three outs we're playing to the last out every out. It's important to go out there and keep battling, no matter who is on the hill. We don't think ahead. We're trying to think of what the moment is and go out there and try to do our best.

JASON VARITEK: Just the way this team functions. I said it a lot last night and a lot of people laughed at me. This team, just give us a chance. We had our backs to the wall even more so after giving up a three-run lead and then turning around, being down two and still coming away and fighting through that game and finding a way to win. But we have one more game tomorrow.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: I don't know if it sets up the rest of the game. Every time I step up to the plate I'm doing whatever I can to get on base and help the team. That's really my focus each and every time. I got on, other times I got on, hopefully score some runs. When you see the runs and everything we've done, that's a total team effort.

JASON VARITEK: I think everybody got through the emotions of that last appearance on both sides, both teams. We have both done a good job of returning to play baseball. Both pitchers settled down after that and went out there and played baseball. I don't expect anything else. I expect Pedro to compete like he always does. I expect Roger to do the same. We need to come ready to play.

JASON VARITEK: Well, I think every game we've played against these guys this year for the most part, every series has turned into it. You didn't expect anything else. I'm sure they didn't expect us to go down without a fight and tomorrow it's going to be a major battle.

JASON VARITEK: I think we had guys starting to peak and getting to know some guys, too, at different times, one being Williamson. Embree and Timlin have done a good job. They have come up with -- Timlin with a split and Embree, he's getting good break on his slider and makes him a little different pitcher. Both of them use both sides of the plate really well. That makes things a lot different, and you've got to be able to utilize both sides of that plate.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA: I think the attitude today was exactly the way it's been all year long, but also throughout these playoffs. Same attitude, everybody is so professional in that clubhouse going out there and saying hey, we've got to go out there and do our best, leave it out there on the field like we have all year long. That's the same attitude for us.