Oct. 7 Postgame interview with Moss and Smith

THE MODERATOR: Seth Smith and Brandon Moss available for questions.

SETH SMITH: Is she going to get all of it? (Chuckles.)

Q. Sanchez led the league in homers, less than half a home run per nine innings. Take me to each of your at bats and why you had success against him today?

BRANDON MOSS: Me personally, I was just trying to hit something, got the swing and miss down pretty well this series. In all truth, these guys are really good, all of 'em. Every at bat is a battle.

It's true. It feels like it and it's true. I've been two strikes almost every single at bat. These guys are good at gettin' ahead, and they do a good job of pitching you tough. In all honesty, I'm just trying to get a mistake, anything. So right there, I swung over a couple of pitches, and he left a change up up and stayed back long enough to hit it.

He's got so many pitches, you don't know what to choose from, so you look for something up.

SETH SMITH: With their whole staff, you're looking for a mistake and hope you capitalize on it. And you will miss 'em sometimes, but fortunately for me, I was able to get the barrel to it. The fastball right there, and 3 1, and I don't think Yoenis Cespedes being on first hurt anything, with his speed and things that he can do.

Q. Just talk about where you guys are in this series and the confidence you take going into Game 4 for both of you.

BRANDON MOSS: You know, definitely we knew the series was going to be a tough series with their tough series and their lineup.

I think obviously we played two tough games at our place and those two guys pitched great. You come in here and expect it to be more of the same. I don't think if you were to ask any of us, we don't really expect to put up six runs on Anibal Sanchez, so we're definitely happy with that.

Tomorrow is going to be more of the same. It's a tough battle, good pitcher. He's going to mix it up just like the rest of 'em do and same thing. You go up there and hope you get a mistake. Obviously we're happy to be at 2 1, but with that team over there, there is no comfortable lead.

Q. Gentleman, can you give us a play by play on the Balfour Victor squabble.

SETH SMITH: I was in the clubhouse.

BRANDON MOSS: That's unbelievable. (Chuckles.)

I don't know what happened. Honestly, I know that Balfour is fiery on the mound. He's yelling a lot and spitting everywhere. It's who he is. You know, sometimes it can ruffle the feathers of other teams. Being a hitter, I can see where it's frustrating and it can be in the moment, it can frustrate you a lot.

Obviously, I think that's all that was. I don't think it was anything more than the two of them yelling at each other. And in a big situation, it escalated. But they handled it. Nothing serious, really.

Q. Nothing between anybody else, you thought it was sorted out well?

BRANDON MOSS: Yeah, they did a good job. Heat of the moment, both guys are competing, both guys trying to do something good, and I think it's just one of those things that happens sometimes.

We're playing a sport. We're competitive people by nature and we have a lot of pride, so when somebody is yelling, in the heat of the moment, you might want to yell back. So I think that's all it was.

Q. You've had outstanding success against Anibal Sanchez, Seth, and sometimes it's not comfortable to talk about that, but is he a pitcher that you pick up the ball really well against him or what can you put your finger on?

SETH SMITH: Honestly, I can't say that. I don't know what it is. At no point am I ever comfortable in an at bat against him. He keeps me off balance. He's got a great mixture of pitches. It could be something where I'm just in a good place with my swing every time I face him. I honestly have no answer.

Q. This team, Detroit, has given you guys fits in the postseason, '06, last season, what would it mean to win it in four, get the monkey off your back of beating Detroit, something you haven't been able to do?

SETH SMITH: Regardless of the outcome today, we will approach tomorrow's game the same way. You want to win every playoff game. I'm sure if we wouldn't have won today, I guess some coaching things would have been done differently. But as far as playing the game, it's another game we would like to win and we will go out and approach it that way.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

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