What led to his troubles in the seventh?
"Not making pitches when I needed to. The [Erick] Aybar ball [hit for a 2-run triple] was right down the middle, I don't have to go back and watch it. I saw right where it went. The curveball [Maicer] Iztruis hit [for an RBI single], it was right out over the plate& I made a couple mistakes in situations where I can't make mistakes& If I make one of those two pitches, it's a little bit of a different game. Guys aren't fighting back from a three-run deficit, their fighting back from a one-run deficit."
On the pitch that hit Mike Napoli
"Curveball, I didn't feel like it was going to hit him unless he leaned it to it. I haven't watched it on video, but it didn't really matter when the umpire's not going to listen to you."
Walking Vladimir Guerrero to start the seventh inning
"I felt good. The leadoff walk, that's uncharacteristic; not making pitches when I needed to."
On playing with back against the wall
"Regroup , we know what we have to do. We can't lose another one. A lot of guys have been through this. It's not the ideal situation, but it's pretty easy, we know what we have to do: We have to win."
Manager Terry Francona
On reversing Boston's fortunes at Fenway
"I certainly hope so. I don't know if I can answer that. What we'll try to do is win the next game. That's what we always do. I certainly hope so, we've had a tough time the last two games, swinging the bats , that's an understatement."
On a change in the offensive strategy
"Our strategy is we need a win; We need to win a game."
On believing this team can rally back
"I think that's how we always feel. I'd rather not be down 0-2 because the team we're playing is really good. You put yourself in a tough position, where you make a mistake, it really cost us. But until they tell us to go home, we'll take our team and keep going. That's how we always feel."
On sticking with Beckett in the seventh inning
"I would never take him out after 3-0 [count]. He's throwing a 3- or 4-hitter going into that inning. I didn't think he was tired, I thought he was fine. We had [Billy] Wagner up for [Chone] Figgins, which we ended up going to, anyhow, but up to that point we were going to stay with Josh."
On Josh Beckett's performance
"I thought he was good. In the fourth inning, he was up, Mikey Lowell makes that diving catch, limit it to one run. Other than that, going into the seventh, he had one 19-pitch inning, an 8, an 11. [Beckett threw] a lot of good changeups, slowed them down. The triple [by Aybar] really hurt. The way they were limiting our offense, that was the big hit."
On what Boston can do to break out of its offensive slump
"Hit the damn ball."
