Clubhouse quotes from Mike Minor, Evan Gattis and manager Fredi Gonzalez following the team's 5-0 loss to the Brewers Monday night.
FREDI GONZALEZ
On if Minor throwing strikes but leaving few over the plate:
“I don’t know. The first pitch was down a little bit and then the other one was just a ball up over the plate to Lucroy that, I think he beat him a little bit and the ball just happened to go out for a home run to the opposite field. I didn’t expect that from Jonathan. He gave us an opportunity to win the game, three runs, seven innings. We didn’t swing the bats. Estrada had us off-balance, swinging at stuff in the dirt. His change-up and his slider were pretty good. We had an opportunity there second and third and didn’t get a run. He gave us fits offensively today.”
On Janish at-bat could have been a big one in the game:
“I think so. You’ve got a chance to get two guys on and you can either go Elliot Johnson or Freeman there (pinch hitting) and see what happens but I don’t even want to talk about it. He’s not all wrong, Angel is not all wrong about that call but I thought that ball was deep enough in that batter’s box, in my opinion, he was just trying to get out of the way and he didn’t. The next inning we gave up two more runs and took the wind out of our sails a little bit.”
On a little bit of Estrada and a little bit offensive struggles:
“If you look at the matchups with him, he gives us fits. He throws the change-ups to both sides, right-handed and left-handed hitters. He throws a slider on the plate and we weren’t patient enough to not swing at that, and next thing you know he’s got a shutout going in the seventh inning.”
On if Minor’s September record reflection of offensive struggles:
“Yeah hopefully, he’s got one more start, but yeah I don’t think he needs to change anything other than us scoring some runs for him.”
On if homers have hurt him lately:
“He’s going to tell you he’s not making good pitches. That’s the way he thinks. I think it’s just a matter of he gave up three runs, whether it’s three runs on two home runs or three runs on five doubles, it’s still three runs and it doesn’t worry me with the home runs. What I like is he gave us every opportunity to win the game. Seven innings and you hold the opposition to three runs, you’ve got a pretty good chance.”
On Heyward’s diving catch an indication he’s 100 percent:
“If he’s not, he’s pretty darn close. I don’t know if there are too many center fielders in the major leagues who can even attempt to make that play. He did a nice job there, made a terrific play.”
On what made Estrada effective:
“He was throwing strikes. He elevated his fastball a couple times. He throws change-ups to both sides of the plate. And then he expands, and we expanded along with him. And what I mean by that he threw some breaking balls in the dirt and we swung at them.”
MIKE MINOR
On the pitch to Gomez:
“It wasn’t that great a pitch, but that’s what he does – he swings hard. I knew he was aggressive. I thought I could get one by him. Couldn’t.”
On how he viewed tonight as a whole:
“For me personally, I don’t view it as a good game. But it’s a quality start. I went seven innings, kept us in the game, gave us a chance to win. That’s what I take out of it, the positives, but also the negatives, the two home runs, can’t keep the ball in the yard so try to fix it.”
On giving up some home runs lately:
“I think I’m trying to throw more sinkers in and then when I threw four-seamers away or when I try to go back and forth with it, there are different release points with it, I think I’m just leaving the ball up and they’re big league hitters, so when they see that, they take advantage of it.”
On if at least getting work in for October:
“I felt like I had decent stuff. I threw a lot more curveballs than I did sliders or cutters. That’s something I usually go with but with a different catcher back there, we had a different game plan. We attack hitters differently. But I felt pretty good out there.”
On the pitch to Lucroy:
“It wasn’t a great pitch, but it was better hitting. It was up and out and with the way he swings, he usually pulls the ball, so with him going that way, it was a better swing than it was a pitch. It was up.”
On September record not a reflection of his pitching:
“I don’t think it’s been great, so I think it kind of shows. It’s one of those things, I think I’ve pitched pretty well all year. Right now I’m kind of struggling a little bit but I’m getting by. I’m just giving up too many home runs.”
On what he wants to work on in final start:
“Just trying to stay sharp and work on all my pitches and stay aggressive. Same thing. Try to go out there and do my best, get another win.”
EVAN GATTIS
On Estrada:
“He was good. He threw change-ups down and he located his pitches as well, didn’t give us really anything to hit whenever it mattered. And so yeah, tip your cap to him. I thought he had a good game and I thought he located pitches well, changed speeds.”
On his deception:
“His change-up looks like a fastball. It’s tough to lay off, especially down in the zone. He got some strikeouts on it. He doesn’t overpower you with any of his stuff but he located the fastball up and he threw the breaking balls and change-ups down. He located pitches. It was tough.”
On Minor:
“I thought he threw well. I think take back a couple pitches, and this game is completely different.”
On challenge of getting up for game after high on clinching Sunday:
“I think we were ready to play. I think everybody here plays hard and wants to come out here and win any day we’re playing. I don’t think that really matter. I guess I could see that (the perception) but I didn’t witness it.”
