NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 13, 2022

Michael Harris

Citizen's Bank Park

Atlanta Braves

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. What have these past two days been like especially last night, just you saw it as a fan but what's this atmosphere been like at home?

MICHAEL HARRIS: It's been fun. We wanted to come out with the win in both nights but that didn't happen. So we were just happy to even it up going into Philly tomorrow.

It's just been fun. Me being from here knowing how these fans work and just being in an environment and actually being on the field, it was crazy.

Q. They're going to be hosting their first playoff game here in over a decade. What do you expect the crowd to be like given that you saw how it was during the regular season?

MICHAEL HARRIS: I feel like with it being that way they would show up because it's probably been so long since they've had a game there. So I expect their fans to come out and support them like ours do and help them to try to get the win.

Q. If you're the visiting team, is there an advantage to doing things early in the game or starting fast to try to take the crowd out of the game? Can the crowd become a factor at all?

MICHAEL HARRIS: Definitely. You want to come out swinging and put up runs early to help your pitcher out. Yes, if you can keep the home team quiet, that helps a lot, honestly. You might not think so, but it really does. Keeping the momentum on your side is just a big key in trying to win games.

Q. Is there any advantages for you going into that ballpark having played there so many times already this season kind of already knowing what to expect and the certain areas on the field and such?

MICHAEL HARRIS: Yes and no. I mean, it's the playoffs; they might change their approach to the way they pitched us in the past. We're just going to go out there and do what we've been doing, trying to win games and giving it all.

Q. What were you thinking as Austin had that July and his season as a whole?

MICHAEL HARRIS: I just knew the type of player he was all along. He's a top player in this league, and he just shows it every night in the big moments. And you see got paid like one, and I'm glad he was here for that amount of time. I'm glad to be here with him. He's just always been that humbled player and he goes out every night and handles his business.

Q. How much confidence does it give you guys that your bullpen has been so good and these postseason games could be so tight?

MICHAEL HARRIS: It gives us a lot of confidence. That's why we want to go out and get runs early and help them out, and when they come in we know they have some insurance runs up because they don't really give up many runs.

So us going out doing our job to help them out when they come in and seal the game.

Q. Both these teams have significant power threats but they won Game 1 with small ball last night, a hit-by-pitch and some singles, got the scoring started. Is that a sign of you guys being able to find a way to win or is it just playoff baseball, or what does it say about this series so far?

MICHAEL HARRIS: I think it's just baseball period. Some nights small ball wins it. Some nights it's home runs. Some nights it's they might make one error and you capitalize off it and you win the game.

It's just baseball as a whole. Some nights certain things happen. Other nights something else will happen. It just depends on what you capitalize off of and how you can hold them.

Q. What did you see on Dansby's play there yesterday?

MICHAEL HARRIS: I didn't know if any of us were even going to be able to get to it. It was just in the perfect spot. I saw him look at Rosario and Rosario look at him. Nobody knew who actually was going to go get it. But I'm glad he went for it and came up with the catch.

Q. You've seen a lot of Dansby, obviously, this year. Is there anything that he does at this point that can surprise you?

MICHAEL HARRIS: No. He's just a captain and a competitor. Every play he goes 110 percent. Tries to do whatever he can to get the out, get a hit, come through in certain situations. Last night, that didn't really surprise me as much, but it was a really good play.

Q. What do you think about his mentality that allows him to play that freely, take chances like that?

MICHAEL HARRIS: He's been a winner his whole life. He went to Vandy. They were always in the championship late in the playoffs. He's been in the playoffs every year here, for the most part. He just has a winning mentality. And he'll do anything to win ballgames. And that's just him.

Q. Nola has been pitching well as of late. How are you preparing to face him now in the postseason?

MICHAEL HARRIS: I think we have to go at it the same way we've been doing in the past. Maybe adjust a little bit but sticking to our game plan and what we know he normally does against us. Maybe he might switch up.

We'll find that out after the first inning, the first time through the lineup. But ultimately we just want to stick with what we know and how he normally has played against us.

Q. What makes him so effective and so challenging to face as a hitter?

MICHAEL HARRIS: I feel like he knows what pitch to throw in what situation, what will work with a certain batter. He hits the spot. He doesn't miss that often. I feel, when he misses, you have to take advantage of it and do damage. But he doesn't really miss often. You've got to put a good swing on it and hope it's a hit and it gets down.