Dodgers-Astros: What they're saying after Game 1 of the World Series
Reaction after Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner led the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Houston Astros 3-1 in Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium:
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers starting pitcher
On the game-time temperature of 103 degrees:
"It was hot warming up. But once the game started, the sun went down, it didn't feel that hot. I think not much of a breeze but I don't think it had much of an impact tonight. That's why I gave up the homer, it was too hot tonight."
On if there is more pressure going into Game 1 after 29 years since the Dodgers' last World Series appearance:
"I think everybody deals with nerves and adrenaline a little bit differently. I don't think it has any effect that we haven't been here in 29 years. You don't play baseball for that long."
Justin Turner, Dodgers third baseman
On his two-run home run in the sixth inning:
"I didn't know if it was going to be a home run or not. I knew I back spun it pretty good. I knew I hit it really high. And I knew it was about 98 degrees. So when it's that hot here, the ball does travel a lot better. And I think I just said it outside, if it's ten degrees cooler, that's probably a routine fly ball in left field."
On what Dodgers legend Sandy Koufax told him before the game:
"162 is work. Once you get to the playoffs, it's fun. And I thought that was a pretty cool way to look at it, and I agree with him a hundred percent."
On what he's going to do after Game 1:
"I'll have a really excited puppy waiting for me when I get home. And I'll probably go out back and play with her a while, throw the tennis ball around and then go to bed."
Chris Taylor, Dodgers center fielder
On his first-pitch home run in the first inning:
"I didn't overthink it. I was just going up it there, trying to get the barrel to the ball, thinking about being aggressive, and be ready to hit the first one."
Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager
On pulling Kershaw after 83 pitches:
"I thought that I liked having Brandon Morrow come in, and I knew that Kenley could potentially get four or five outs. That's kind of all I thought. He was throwing the ball well. Could I have extended him? Absolutely. And as that inning, that half inning, was actually a longer inning, anyway, it made me feel better about going to the pen there.
A.J. Hinch, Astros manager
On if his team's youth factored into the high strikeout total:
"Youth is not an issue. We're heading into Game 2 of the World Series. So there's no more rookies, there's no more youth. It's just competing. And their guy beat us."
On facing Kershaw:
"We don't face him a ton, but that was pretty impressive what he could do, throwing a ton of fastballs."
On not hitting well on the road in the postseason:
"Tonight is about Kershaw. And really the span of a couple of at-bats. They had two big swings, we had one. They had a walk before one of their big swings, it's 3-1, we get to Game 2. It's no more complicated than that."
Gallery: Best of the 2017 World Series