NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES v DIAMONDBACKS

October 20, 2001

Craig Counsell

CRAIG COUNSELL: Well, I actually kind of got caught in no man's land. It was first and third, a situation where they hit a ball, a slow roller like that that you don't think they can turn two on, then you don't really have to go. But I wasn't sure if Greg was going to throw to second, if they're going to try to turn the double play, then you want to try to score. It was kind of a strange play. Then I was off a little bit, but not that far. I guess he didn't think he could get me. He had a little indecision. But we took advantage of their mistakes tonight. I think that's the big thing. We've done it the last two nights. Those are things you need to do to win these games.

CRAIG COUNSELL: Well, it's not anything I'm thinking about. I mean, I'm thinking about winning games. We're one game away from going to the World Series. Tonight to me was an unbelievable team win. The bullpen was phenomenal. Guys came off the bench, Bautista and Dellucci had great at-bats. Tony Womack had two great at-bats in front of me with the double off Maddux where he fouled off about six pitches, and the ball where he hustled down the ninth to keep that rally going. It's just -- today was my turn to drive in some runs, and everybody takes their turn on this team. That's what's so special about it.

CRAIG COUNSELL: Well, I mean, you're just trying to put a good swing on it, you know. I think I found myself 0-2 there a couple times. You're just trying to get a ball that's -- you're trying to swing at a strike and put a strike in play. I'd hit a couple breaking balls that they kind of left up, probably more than anything else. And two strikes, I'm just trying to put a good swing on it. I'm not really trying to do anything else, just protect the plate and put something hard in play.

CRAIG COUNSELL: Oddly enough, I think this has been a lot more fun for me. I think when I was a rookie, you had those blinders on where you're just almost happy to be there. I thought it was easy. Went all the way through the playoffs and won a World Series and I had two months in the Big Leagues. Four years later, you realize how hard this is to do, what we're trying to do. It's been a lot more enjoyable. It's so much more fun it seems like. Because I've been here all year, you really feel like you can celebrate it with your team and you're so happy for everybody. So this is -- it's hard to look back four years ago, but this is -- this has been a lot of fun.