Oct. 11 Trea Turner, Michael Taylor postgame interview

Q. What did it mean to your team to see Stephen get himself ready to play even though he wasn't feeling well and pitch for you guys?

TREA TURNER: It was huge. I think, you know, this time of year, you can't feel bad for yourself. You can't make excuses. He came out and threw a great game for us. It was unbelievable and we really needed it.

Q. Michael, can you recall the last time that you had a mid at-bat pitching change, and if so, who was that? And what were you thinking today when they stopped 1-0 and brought in Davis?

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: I don't remember the last time. After they brought in Davis, I tried to just start the at-bat over. Just go up there like I'm starting against Davis, go through my routine, things like that. Watched a little video before I went out there, so felt good once I stepped back in.
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Q. What did you feel in the moments leading up to the Grand Slam and after the swing?

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: Leading up to it, I felt pretty good on the ball I fouled off. The at-bat before, I kind of got caught thinking with the pitcher, guessing a little bit. So I tried to stick with my approach right there and just get another pitch out over.

And then afterwards, I was kind of numb, just running around the bases. Honestly, I didn't think it was going to get out the way the wind was blowing in.

Q. Once you saw Stephen take the mound tonight, get through that first inning, was there a point you thought, okay, he's good to go and we've got the full Strasburg tonight?

TREA TURNER: I'm not going to lie. I have no idea how sick he was. I wasn't aware of it. Once he took the mound, I figured he would be good to go as long as he was needed. I figured he would just get whoever came up to bat out.

For me, I was just kind of consumed with the next thing, as opposed to, I guess, how he was feeling. I just wanted to win.

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: Yeah, I felt pretty good about him. Before the game I got to see him go through his routine and things like that, and you know, he seemed to be in a good spot. Looked like he was feeling pretty good. You know, we had normal Strasburg today.

Q. To both of you, there's a lot of pressure on both teams in a deciding game. Is there a little more on the Nationals because you have not taken the next step?

TREA TURNER: I've kind of said this all year: I don't believe in that because it's a different team every year. You play different teams, different players, trades, free agents, whatever it may be. We didn't play the Cubs last year.

So who knows what would have happened if we did or didn't. Doesn't really matter. For me, I don't believe in it. Whoever plays better, whoever executes more, you're going to move on.

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: I agree with Trea. Once you get out there, that stuff doesn't really matter, what we did last year; doesn't help or hurt us once we're in between the lines. We'll just go out there and play our game.

Q. You said that you watched some video on Davis. Was it a specific pitch or location that you were looking for? And obviously getting the ball in the air was probably not the most likely thing today, hitting a Grand Slam. Is that what you were trying to do? What was your thought process going through that?

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: It wasn't so much a pitch or location. For me, it's just getting a pitch in the strike zone. A lot of times I can be a little too aggressive.

So just trying to slow myself down. Obviously watching video, getting an idea of all the pitches he has and seeing what they are doing, once I got in there, try to find the baseball and get a pitch in the zone.

Q. For Trea, maybe relief is the wrong word, but how did you feel getting that hit and getting on the board in this series, running the bases and scoring?

TREA TURNER: I felt good because I'm at the top of the lineup to get on base, kind of start things. I haven't done a good job of that this series.

To have one fall felt good. Tried to get the ball rolling. I think more people on base, the better it is for us. I would like to get over there a little bit more.

Q. This is only a question that the two of you can answer, but how do you feel confidence-wise heading back to D.C. for a decisive gamey five?

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: As a team, we feel good. We talked a little before the game about taking it one game at a time, and obviously today was a necessary step to take it back to D.C.

I felt like this game gave us a little energy. So going back, we'd just like to have another quality game.

TREA TURNER: For me, I think the momentum's huge. I think last year, the Dodgers kind of did it to us, and hoping that kind of feels the same way this year as we have got the momentum going back home and kind of keep it rolling.

I think from a standpoint of individuals, we've got a lot of experience and a lot of talent and I think that helps take some pressure off. You know, hopefully, we can go out there tomorrow and kind of play the same way we did today.

Q. As strong as Stras was, he punctuated it in the seventh with striking out the side, put him up to 106 pitches which is quite a lot. Did you guys have any words with him? What was the exchange and the reaction in the dugout to that?

MICHAEL A. TAYLOR: I honestly didn't say anything to him -- didn't talk to him after the game. He was still talking to Maddux coming down, kind of debriefing after the game.

He looked good today, so it's a positive, positive game for him. And the pitch count I don't think is really a big deal. Most guys come out at 106, 110, and every time, they want the ball and keep throwing. I don't think it's a huge deal for us.

TREA TURNER: I try not to talk to the pitcher too much. I feel like for the most part, they are kind of locked in their own world and let them do their own thing. For me, I forgot him being sick; I was wondering if he was going to come out again, he was pitching that good.

I wouldn't put anything past our guys. Like he said, they want the ball and they will continue to throw until Dusty comes and get them and I think that's what makes them special is they are competitors