For the first time in my career, I feel comfortable in the clubhouse...

For the first time in my career, I feel comfortable in the clubhouse. I feel comfortable with the city. I feel comfortable with the fans. I love playing for Frank Robinson. He motivates me in so many ways because I have so much respect for him. . . . I feel like I'm in my element. . . . I love the fans here. I love them. They get behind me, and it pushes me to another level.

The past couple of days, I felt I had a dead arm and I was kind of moping around until I got loose. After that, it was fun. I didn't feel any pressure at all.

After we scored the two runs, I struck out the side [in the fifth inning]. I was very relaxed and very comfortable. That's all I needed tonight.

It's has been an amazing year. It's the dream I had coming into this season and it's working. This is what I always believed I could do. If I were to give up on that, I don't know how far I would have gone. But my family kept me motivated. They kept telling me to believe in myself. I believed that I could turn it around, get over injuries, get healthy and go out and pitch and show the potential I thought that I had.

I'm happy here in Washington. That's a great thing. It's the first time in my career that I have been happy.

-JP