NL DIVISION SERIES: CARDINALS v DIAMONDBACKS

October 13, 2001

Dustin Hermanson

DUSTIN HERMANSON: It's great to pick up the team in any way possible. It's not a blow-out game, it's a close game, anything can happen, so to throw three shut out innings, it was good.

DUSTIN HERMANSON: I was just telling myself, try not to get too excited while you're out there. When you do that, you try to do too much. I was trying to relax, have as much fun as I could, and I didn't want to pressure myself trying too hard because you can't perform when you do that. I was just trying to have fun out there.

DUSTIN HERMANSON: It was a little different because I wasn't out there using all my pitches. I was pretty much going after with hard sinkers, just trying to make things happen. Without anybody on base, you've got to make them put the ball in play. You can't be walking guys, you have to go after that and make them put the ball on the ground. I was trying to throw strikes, stay out of the middle of the plate, just try to make things happen out there.

DUSTIN HERMANSON: These are the playoffs, so I'll be ready tomorrow.

DUSTIN HERMANSON: I don't know what was -- there was nothing arranged. I mean, I think I'm just there to help the team whenever we need it. This is probably one of the days they planned to try to save me, because they didn't know whether Bud or I was going to start. I think they did a good choice by using Bud, as many lefties as they have in their lineup. And he did a great job for us. I don't think it was etched in stone I was going to pitch today, but I think this was the game they were trying to look to save me for if they needed me.

DUSTIN HERMANSON: I think it was real important to play today. I think, also, that with someone like Albie Lopez on the mound, you would want to face someone like him before you would face Schilling. I'm not taking anything away from Albie, but to face someone like him instead of Schilling, it's better. Now we have to go back to their place, and it's Schilling and Matty Morris. And it was a beautiful game against both of them last time, so this is the game we needed to get in, so we can match up with that tough game at the end.

DUSTIN HERMANSON: I just like to pitch. I really don't care what it is, especially right now, I'll be the bat boy for them if they wanted me to. Closing, starting, just being on that bump is fun. That's what God blessed me with, and that's what I want to do. It doesn't matter if it's relieving or starting, I've been blessed to be here. So whatever they want me to do, I'll do for them.