AL DIVISION SERIES: TWINS v YANKEES

October 3, 2003

Kyle Lohse

KYLE LOHSE: Yeah, he was definitely one of them. I've looked up to him, and Nolan Ryan, of course, being two of the most prolific power pitchers. Going up against him tomorrow, I know we are not going to get much, so just got to go in there and try not to give up as many runs.

KYLE LOHSE: Yeah, it's a pretty cool thing. I'm going to go in there pretty excited. I'm going to be facing the Yankees in a playoff situation. It's going to be a lot of fun.

KYLE LOHSE: Yeah, I got used sparingly last year. Last year was a tough situation knowing that I would only come in in blowouts. This year it means a lot to be looked upon as coming in to pitch that third game. Post-season, to go in there and get that kind of responsibility put on you, it means a lot.

KYLE LOHSE: Every game is like that. You want to go out there and try to set the tone in the first inning and that's what I'm going to go out and try to do. You can't let yourself fall behind by too many runs, especially against a team with the pitches they are going to be throwing against us.

KYLE LOHSE: You know, first one I was getting ahead of them, moving my fastball around, and second one I really didn't have very good command of my fastball and fell behind and had to throw some pitches over the -- had to give in a little bit and throw some pitches over the heart of the plate. Whenever you're facing guys like that, you're not going to have too good of an outing.

KYLE LOHSE: Just trying to be that guy that was there every fifth game and give my team a chance to win. I felt like I did that for most part this year. Had a little bad stretch, but it was kind of a three-part season for me. I like the way I finished strong and I think that had a lot to do with maybe Gardy's decision to let me get that third game.

KYLE LOHSE: Being in that atmosphere was a big plus, to be able to go through that. I did get in a couple of games. I got in against Oakland in Game 4 and got to finish the game off that we won. That was pretty cool to go out there and experience what that's like, that atmosphere.

KYLE LOHSE: I gave up most of them in a bunch. There was a little stretch there where it seems like everything went wrong and it was that way for the whole team. We broke it down, I was going out there trying to do too much and when I do that I try to throw too hard and the ball flattens out. It was a lot mentally, just had to throttle it back a little bit and pitch more than throw. That's helped out with the long balls a little bit.

KYLE LOHSE: Now that we are talking about it, I'm pretty aware of it and I should be able to control myself out there.

KYLE LOHSE: He will be a good influence out there. He knows me pretty well, knows how to push my buttons and settle me down sometimes. He called a good game back there and I put a lot of trust in what he does. I'll just go out there and follow him around. He's caught every game so far; got to be able to listen to him.

KYLE LOHSE: Yeah, I guess Game 3 they always talk about it, you separate those first two. Game 3 is a big one because now it's the best -- first one to win two-out-of-three. I know it's a big game. That's what you want to be in. I like the pressure. I like to go out there and try to perform with all of that stuff. I know Clemens is going to be out there, he's been through a lot and he's one of the game's best. Just got to go out there and try not to think about that stuff and just have fun with it.