Dodgers Interview: Postgame Celebrations are Full of Gratitude, Determination
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers drenched the clubhouse and breathed out as a street-fight of a series finally went their way. Game 4 took eleven tense innings and every arm available. The offense came in flashes, the pitching carried the night, and the final out brought a roar you could feel in the concrete. In the middle of it all were voices that sounded equal parts relieved and ready for more.
Teoscar Hernández stood almost dry for five seconds, then a teammate fixed that. “We want some more baseball,” he laughed. “We got a lot more dangerous baseball to go.” He kept circling back to everyone around him. “I think that was a team effort. Team credit. The bullpen today was amazing.” The celebration came with a wink to October, too. “This is why we play. Exciting game today. Thank God we got the win. Now focus on the next round.”
Freddie Freeman called the eleventh “incredible.” He walked through the inning as if still seeing each pitch. “Grindy at-bats. Tommy getting it started again. Kiké working the walk. That’s what happens when you put the ball in play. Good things can happen.” He tipped his cap to both dugouts. “Two great teams going at it all series and thankfully we came out on top.” Then he went straight to the mound. “This was all about pitching. They have a great staff, and so do we. Our starting pitching has been the anchor of why we’re going the way we are. Glas was amazing. Our bullpen. Roki Sasaki was absolutely incredible. We needed every single guy today.” His own night came with bumps and bruises. “The legs are good. It was a tough series. Facing those lefties, we tried to do everything we could to get on base. Hopefully next series is our series.”
Kiké Hernández echoed the theme. “The whole series, we really had to earn it. We did it the hard way.” He pointed at the staff behind him. “Our pitching was fantastic. Our bats showed up when we needed them in Philly, but we didn’t really do it here. Our pitchers kept us in the game. Our pitchers did this.” Asked about Sasaki, Kiké grinned. “It’s unbelievable. A couple weeks ago, we didn’t know if he was even going to be a part of this, and for him to show up the way he did, kudos to him. I’m glad he’s on our side. What a talent.” He liked what the series said about the group. “All three games we won are a testament to what we can accomplish even when we’re not playing great baseball. We can still figure out a way to win a ballgame. Nobody had it scripted like this, but the only thing that matters is that we did.”
Mookie Betts called the night what it felt like. “That game was crazy. Two teams really fighting. It was like a street fight, but a baseball game. Fortunately, we came out on top.” He praised Tyler Glasnow’s tone-setting start. “He was throwing a lot of strikes, keeping them off balance, filling up the zone. We called on him and he delivered.” Ranger Suárez remained a puzzle. “He’s one of the premier pitchers in the league. I was able to get a hit, but he pitched an amazing game.” The clubhouse message did not change with the champagne. “We’re going to fight. Everybody in here wants to win a World Series, and everybody in here is going to do what it takes.” Then came the smile for the closer. “Roki Susaki taking down nine outs was amazing. To see where he started and see him come back and do what he’s doing, he’s electric. He’ll play a huge role in us winning overall.”
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