NL DIVISION SERIES: CARDINALS v DIAMONDBACKS

October 9, 2001

Tony La Russa

TONY LaRUSSA: Well, it was thrilling to be a part of it just because you figure it would be hard to score and a lot of times in this game or any game, the opposite happens. But both guys were outstanding in the way the run had to score. You bunt them over, then a two-out single. They had a couple of other chances. Matt pitched so well in the first inning. To avoid that first inning the game gets away from you right there, and we botched that one, and dodged another one in the eighth. Usually when a team misses the chance, it comes back to haunt you. But Schilling was just masterful. He is just a real pitcher. Did everything he had to do with the baseball, like he knew we were going to be swinging. We were going to take it to the middle of the plate. They were both great. He was a little greater.

TONY LaRUSSA: I wouldn't make any excuse like that. We had a lot of videos we watched. He was still there in the 8th and 9th, so our guys got to see him. Some guys three, sometimes four times. He was superb. That's their guy and I take my hat off to him, but I'm also proud of Matt Morris. He gave us a great chance to win.

TONY LaRUSSA: That's just basic A, B, Cs. Schilling is going to pitch the 9th inning, so we tried to get the third out with Schilling and Miller. There was no way we could relieve him. We had Kline ready. The key out was Veres got Counsell, and that gave us a chance to do that.