MLB WORLD SERIES: PHILLIES VS ASTROS

October 28, 2022

Dusty Baker

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Philadelphia Phillies - 6, Houston Astros - 5

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with questions for Dusty.

Q. What did you like about the matchup using Garcia to start the 10th there over Stanek?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, I mean, our matchup sheet had Garcia over Stanek and also to give us some length. I mean, he hit a good pitch, a fastball away in the short porch. That was the deciding run, but we had the winning runs on base to end the game. We had a pretty good lead early. I mean, it's easy to say, oh, if Stanek had given it up, then how come we used Stanek. So it didn't work.

Q. What do you think changed with Verlander after that -- I mean, he was dominant those first three innings. What do you think changed starting in that 4th inning?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, he made some mistakes with his breaking ball, because almost every pitch they hit was a breaking ball. He couldn't get the breaking ball down. That's what changed. Sometimes you change your game plan. You can't keep throwing the same guys the same way all the time. That's rare for him not to make those pitches.

Q. What do you need from Framber tomorrow to get you guys right back in this thing at 1-1?

DUSTY BAKER: Well, we just need Framber to be Framber. Usually that's enough runs for Framber and JV, and it wasn't enough tonight. We need some innings. They kind of went through their bullpen. We went through ours. So it's matter of how far the starters can go tomorrow.

Q. When you have Justin Verlander on the mound and a 5-0 lead is it surprising to lose a game?

DUSTY BAKER: Yeah. I mean, they a number of two-out hits that one inning. Like I said, most of them were on breaking balls. Realmuto's was a breaking ball up in the gap. Bohm, his was a breaking ball that stayed up and he shot it in the corner. Yeah, usually two is enough. They're a good offensive club. I mean, we knew we could hit -- we know they could hit when we came in here, and they're known for that. They just took it from us tonight.

Q. What finally went into the decision to get Abreu up in there in the 5th inning when it seemed like Verlander was in trouble and did you think about doing it sooner or just kind of what was the thought process there?

DUSTY BAKER: No, I mean, we were in the same boat that they were in. You could say how come they didn't take Nola out earlier. You know, it's hard to take Justin out because he can struggle for awhile, but he usually gets it back together.

You certainly, you don't want to just go through your whole bullpen that early in the game. So like I said, there were two outs. Had there been no outs it might have been a different story. But with two outs you need one more out to get out of that inning.