NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: PADRES v BRAVES

October 11, 1998

Andres Galarraga

Ozzie Guillen

John Smoltz

JOHN SMOLTZ: Still playing, and that's all we can really be focused on. Aside from me giving you 600 cliches of every team that's been down 3-1, and I'm not going to do that. But we have a chance to win another game.

JOHN SMOLTZ: I'd like to think of all the teams in history that have been down 3-0, that have never come back. Sure, I like our chances better than all those. But still, you've got to go through a brick wall in San Diego, I think most teams that are 3-1 deficits against St. Louis that we came back, but this is a totally different team and totally different situation. Really unless those pitchers over there get really sick, it's still a pretty even match. We're trying to extend the series and go back to Atlanta.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Yeah, that's true. When I hit, I said, "Thank you God for this one." And I really needed it, especially the team, to stay alive. They haven't been throwing too many good pitches to hit. So some day I tried to talk to myself to be more patient, and I came with the bases loaded. So I took the first pitch, and then I hit a grand slam. That's probably the best pitch I've seen all series.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Oh, yeah, no question. The more patient, the better count you get, better it is, especially with the bases loaded. That's why probably that's better for the hitter, too, hitting with a big count.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Yeah, I told you, I've been struggling and not hitting too good. The only thing is I feel positive. I know the way they've been pitching. They've been pitching really difficult, outside, inside, up and down. When you go 0 for 2, 0 for 3, I wanted to do something for the team to win. We had a lot of frustration. Today for some reason, like I said before, talked to myself to be more patient on the home plate. And I did get it. I worked today. I hit a home run, and that's the way I feel most better at the home plate is when I'm patient.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Probably the best, keeping the team to stay alive; myself, to give more emotion for tomorrow, too -- for me, for my family, because I know they've been frustrated, too. We've been losing, and to make my mother, my kids happy, to see me do something to win, to help the Braves to win.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Well, not really, I'm not feeling any pressure. Before, like I say, I know I needed to hit good to help the guys win the game. The way we've been playing -- and I think it's no monkey on my shoulder, because everyone is probably on the same level right here. The Padres have been throwing to us. Their pitching really works. When you have some pitching like that, it's difficult to hit anyway. It's no question it made me feel much better at the home plate.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: I'm looking for something around the strike to get an -- at least a base hit or drive some guy in. So as soon as I hit it, I knew it was a home run. It made me feel much better after that.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Well, I think I know Rivera. He's got a great hand, and so to -- I think to tie the situation, I think I played that for the team.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Yeah, they've been throwing me more pitches outside. Early in the season, they've been pitching more inside. That's why they hit me 24 times before that. Now they've been throwing me outside, so it's kind of different now.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Well, we've got -- today we hit it much better. I think that's the pitching we've been needing. I hope we start the way we're doing today.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Yeah, I think we've got a chance to do that. It's never happened before.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Well, I think the difference was -- when we no score runs, it's difficult to play with emotion. But we did today; so that will help everybody to keep going that way.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: Yeah, it's really good. It's really important for us to stay in the game, to not let this game get open. So when we come back and tie the game or score another run, it's more emotion to keep us positive to win the game.

ANDRES GALARRAGA: No question. As soon as he hit it, I think he helped everybody. Everybody started hitting bases, stealing bases. I hit a grand slam. So everybody jumped in right away after that.

OZZIE GUILLEN: No, really, I think Walt swung the bat real well yesterday. I think Bobby believed I played good for them all year long. I think Bobby put in me in because I played for 14 years in the big leagues, and I didn't have a chance to play in the postseason. And I think he put me in to give me a chance to be in one.

OZZIE GUILLEN: Played against them in the beginning of the season. They picked me up from the release. We come here and play. And it feel great. To see Flannery coach third base this series has been great for baseball, and they gave me a chance -- signed me, and gave me a chance to be in pro ball. And I just came here and the Braves made me really excited. I came here, I was only 16 years old. And to come here. It's nice. I love the city. I love the beach. I have a boat, so I enjoy it every time I come here.

OZZIE GUILLEN: It was hard, because it was tough to see the ball. It was kind of a shadow there, and it's hard. Hamilton was throwing pretty good sinkers. And every time Bobby put me there, I want to have a good at-bat. Every time I have a good at-bat, I know I have a job for the next day. I tried to make something happen, and they said -- as I approached the ball, I saw the ball real well. And when I was in the line-up and I was the lead off guy, Bobby wants us to score. We didn't really score the last three games. And the way we scored today, I think it was great for everyone.

OZZIE GUILLEN: It was hard, because I don't know how hard he hit it. And it was kind of tough to pick the ball from the fans, because it was shadow between the mounds. And I should have made that play. I made that play before. But that's why you play the game. I think I have a chance to do it, and the difficult thing was I don't know how hard the ball was hit.

OZZIE GUILLEN: I think more for the team. I know what Galarraga is going through right now. He's one of the the best friends on the team, and the best friend in my career, we've known each other for a long time. I tried to keep him positive, don't worry about the past, whatever you do yesterday doesn't mean anything today. I think I was more happy for the team. Finally we scored more runs. We're going to face a lot of tough pitchers. Yesterday we had a lot of opportunity to score some runs. And today we scored four or five runs with two out, that's special for us. It gives us confidence for tomorrow's game.

OZZIE GUILLEN: I don't know why Bobby put me in this situation (laughter.) Hey, when he put me in the line-up, I'll be there, play hard for him. I'll do what I was supposed to do. But I'll do what I do all my life: Have fun, play hard, do the best I can, and help my team have some emotion, give me a chance to play tomorrow, and it's good for me and for my career. I think it's a great opportunity to be back in the line-up.

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