MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS BRAVES

October 30, 2021

Eddie Rosario

Jorge Soler

Truist Park

Atlanta Braves

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Atlanta - 3, Houston - 2

Q. You just set a new postseason record for a Puerto Rican-born player with 23 hits in the postseason. How do you feel about that?

EDDIE ROSARIO: Obviously, it's incredible. I'm proud of myself for the work I've been able to put in. We're just doing the same thing every day.

Q. How challenging is it going to be to win tomorrow's game especially since the Astros are a resilient group?

EDDIE ROSARIO: This is our house. We're coming tomorrow with that energy and that focus. We know they're a resilient group and they don't give up, but we have our heads high right now, and we're going to be ready to play.

Q. Eddie, walk us through that catch, please.

EDDIE ROSARIO: I feel right now I am Super Rosario. I don't see the ball. I throw the glove and catch the ball. Everybody's happy. I'm happy. It's unbelievable what I did tonight. Wow, what a catch. (Laughter.)

Q. Jorge, what were you looking for that at-bat when you stepped up as a pinch hitter, and what was your reaction when you saw the ball get over Alvarez and over the fence?

JORGE SOLER: I'm always looking for a fastball in those at-bats. So he threw me a fastball, and his fastball runs a lot. So he's got a good one.

Then he threw me a couple sliders, and on that second slider, I felt like I got a pretty good look at it. On that third slider, I felt like he partially hung it a little bit, and so I was able to make that connection and get the home run.

Q. Jorge, everybody's always looking for that big World Series moment. Now that you're digesting what happened, what does it feel like, and what do you remember about going around the bases there?

JORGE SOLER: To me, it means a lot. It means a lot to me and my family. At the beginning of the year, I wasn't part of this team. The organization traded for me. Obviously, I'm grateful to be here. It truly means a lot to be able to be here with this group of guys.

Q. For both of you, you guys looked a little dead in the water, and then Dansby hits that home run. What did that do in the dugout when Dansby hit that home run? Did you guys feel confident the whole time?

EDDIE ROSARIO: Absolutely. I'm just really happy for Dansby that he was able to experience that moment. Throughout the entire series, throughout the entire postseason, going all the way back to Milwaukee, we've had these at-bats and these hits that have sort of electrified and surprised the entire dugout, and they've energized us and sort of motivated us to keep going.

So we've all had some success, and we've all been able to experience it. Obviously, I had my home run. Freddie had his home run against Hader. Jorge had his home run. d'Arnaud had his home run the other night.

So I'm really happy Dansby was able to contribute in that fashion and experience that for himself.

Like I said, it's been a team effort, and we were all able to contribute, and I was happy he was able to join in as well.

JORGE SOLER: It was just a complete game changer.

Q. Eddie, on that catch you made, you didn't stick your glove out to get it until the very last second? Is that something you do often? Is there a strategy on that when you're going back on balls?

EDDIE ROSARIO: It just happened. That was it. I think anyone in that position is just trying to make the play, and that's all I was doing. When the ball was hit, I was just charging as hard as I could, and I was running. So at the last second, I threw my glove at it, and I was able to catch it.

Q. Jorge, it's been a while since the Braves won the World Series, 26 years. You broke a much longer drought with the Chicago Cubs five years ago. What has this experience been like here compared to that Cubs World Series? Did you feel any of that same kind of longing for a championship among the fans?

JORGE SOLER: It was different, obviously, in Chicago. I think at one point we were down to a 3-1 deficit. That group was a resilient group, and we never gave up, and we were able to overcome and win the World Series.

I think here with this group, there's a different dynamic. I think maybe there's a little bit of a better chemistry with some of the guys in the clubhouse, and we all have that same energy where we go out to enjoy ourselves and give our best efforts in the field, and I think that would be kind of the differences.

Q. Jorge, I just wanted to know your view and reaction of Eddie's catch.

JORGE SOLER: At least from my vantage point, I was in the corner there with that group of guys, and we were watching the play. When Eddie turned to look at the fence, we thought to ourselves -- or I least I thought personally -- that ball either hit the fence, or it's gone. Then he just kept running and threw the glove out there and made the catch, and we all looked at each other in amazement, like did that just really happen?

It took us all by surprise, and it was something truly out of a movie.

EDDIE ROSARIO: Franco, you're getting MVP too.