AL Division Series: Indians vs Astros Friday, October 5, 2018 George Springer Astros postgame 1 didn't seem very significant at the time, but Marwin Houston-7, Cleveland-2 gets hit, or at least his jersey gets hit by the pitch. A.J. tells everybody, Hey, we're aware of everything Q. What kind of adjustments were you all able to going on today. We've got our game face on. Then make against Kluber after not having a whole lot of Corey, he likes to work the inside part of the plate luck against him the first four innings? and all of a sudden hits two guys, you see that GEORGE SPRINGER: Honestly, the key was change thing. Do you have that feeling? Bregman's hit in the fourth or the fifth, whatever it was. GEORGE SPRINGER: I don't know. I think he's a guy I think, whenever you're not hitting the ball or not that likes to attack each side of the plate, up, down, in, getting hits, you start to press to try to get hits and out. And I think he let a couple kind of sneak in on make things happen. He was able to hit one over the some guys, but it really allowed us to kind of attack heart of the plate, and he didn't miss it. what he was throwing. He might not have been as sharp as he wanted to be, so I think him hitting Marwin Q. It's only one game, but to be able to take a lead was a good sign, I guess, from an offensive standpoint, in this series to start off the postseason from a and it allowed us to attack him instead of him kind of mental standpoint, what kind of lift does that give having his way with us like he has before. you guys? GEORGE SPRINGER: It's huge. For us to come back Q. And how important was it for A.J. to let tomorrow up one, it makes it easier on us to go out and everyone know we're watching everything, we're on kind of attack them the way that we want to play and top of our game today? have some fun. Obviously, the goal is to get out of GEORGE SPRINGER: It's huge. These are must-win here with a sweep, but you never know. That's a great games, and everything has to go right. A lot of guys team over there. So I'm pretty sure that they're going have to be on the same page. So from the guys down to be fired up to play tomorrow. below who spotted it -- because I don't even think Marwin knew he got hit. It shows that we're all on the Q. George, only three people have hit home runs in same page. five consecutive games. What does it mean to you to have done that, and how difficult is Q. George, can you talk a little bit about your it? evolution in the playoffs, from the way it started GEORGE SPRINGER: It's an honor. There's been a last year to now how comfortable you are at the ton of guys to play this game who have had Hall of plate, and obviously with the five straight home Fame careers and a lot of guys who haven't. For my runs in five straight games. But just overall how name to be with some good company is always great, it's changed for you from last year to where you are but honestly, I'm happy that I was able to help us win in now? all of those games and be a spark plug from that GEORGE SPRINGER: Yeah, I got told last year by standpoint. , Carlos Beltran, A.J. Hinch to go out and kind of just have fun and enjoy the moment for how it is Q. When you're seeing Verlander pitch as well as because you don't ever know if you're going to get back he was pitching in that game, how critical is it to here. There's been hundreds of guys to play this game get him some runs early in that game and give him and actually never get to the playoffs. something to work with? GEORGE SPRINGER: Yeah, when he was locked in For me, it's just another day, just another game. Go like that, it's going to be a hard time to score. For us to out and try and have as much fun as I can, but slow spot him four and for him to have our back and at least down and kind of understand who's up behind me. slow them down was a huge day for us and a big day for him. I've got the hitting champ from last year, the MVP, , who's arguably an MVP. So kind of just Q. George, what happened in the second inning slowing down, getting myself to first base, and letting the guys who can actually hit hit.

Rev #1 by #181 at 2018-10-05 22:36:00 GMT page 1 of 2 Q. What is it about y'all's clubhouse that radiates so much positivity and things like that and it spreads over to a new guy like Maldonado? For him to get that , it probably took a lot off of him. GEORGE SPRINGER: Our clubhouse is not like any other clubhouse I've ever seen. It's fun to come to the park. It's fun to play with each other. All 25-plus guys in there are cheering for the other guy to succeed. For guys who step in or get traded over here, get called up, I think that they get to see that. Having guys like Brian McCann, Jose Altuve to at least set the tone of, You know what, go out, have fun, enjoy the day because, at the end of the day, we're in the big leagues and we're playing in front of a great crowd, a great city. So go out and kind of enjoy it.

I think for us it's all about having fun, and I think in the clubhouse is now starting to spread out onto the field.

Q. George, all through the spring you guys were saying that you knew you couldn't start the season in the World Series or in the playoffs. All season you've had to deal with those questions. Is there sort of a relief that the playoffs are actually here now and you really are playing for it and you can almost lighten up? GEORGE SPRINGER: I think so. For our team to accomplish what we did last year is something special for us, but then it adds in, can they do it again? Which is a great conversation to have, but us as players understand how hard it is to play this game and how much has to go right over the span of 162-plus games.

For us to come out today and get back to the big stage, the lights get brighter, is awesome because it shows you that, one, we were able to have another successful season. We accomplished our first goal, which was to win the West. I mean, Oakland had a heck of a year, and it really made us play as hard as what we possibly could every day.

I think for us to kind of understand that this game is hard and it's not going to be handed to us was the best thing for us. So now these are the games where you go out, you have fun, you do whatever it is that you have to do to try to help the team win, and whatever happens happens.

Rev #1 by #181 at 2018-10-05 22:36:00 GMT page 2 of 2