Jeff Locke Emphasizes Steady Confidence

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - Pirates starting pitcher Jeff Locke joined The Fan Morning Show on Thursday, two days after leading the Bucs to a 2-0 win over the Phillies.

Locke was dominant in that outing, holding Philadelphia to just two hits over six innings. He improved his record to 2-1, and dropped his ERA to 3.74.

He enjoyed getting the chance to take on a star-studded team like the Phillies, and to face off against former Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

"I don't know if it's going to elevate your game, but it's sure going to feel like it a little bit," Locke said. "It was definitely a lot of fun to go out there that night and compete against those guys."

Locke had a great time dominating the Phillies, but he emphasized the importance of keeping an even keel.

"You've got to feel confident in yourself all the time, especially following an outing that you're happy with," Locke said. "One thing that's for sure is I don't think that your confidence really needs to teeter with a good outing or a poor outing."

Locke credited catcher Russell Martin for being a positive force behind the plate.

"He's very informative with me, and super-competitive with himself, and just a true gamer back there," Locke said. "He shoots it pretty straight. He's a great teammate, that's for sure.. He's really helped me out a lot, everything from my confidence to pitch execution, and just being myself out there."

Locke is expected to make his next start on Sunday against the Cardinals.

The interview can be heard here: