Postgame quotes compiled by Michael Cunningham, Erica Hernandez and Carroll Rogers
TOMMY LA STELLA
On if surprised at how comfortable he seems to be:
“I wouldn’t say surprised. I mean it’s nice obviously any time you’re in a new spot, especially in the big leagues, you want to start off on the right foot. I’ve been able to do that and hopefully I can keep doing it.”
On if this was the biggest moment so far in his career:
“It was pretty awesome. It was one of the cooler things that I’ve been blessed to be a part of. Obviously the debut was also very special for me and my family as well.”
On if expected to be doing as well as he is this early:
“No, I don’t think there’s really any expectations in terms of statistics and all that stuff. Yeah, like I said before, I was just trying to find something that I’m confident in that I can go back to when things aren’t going well. I found that hopefully, for the time being in my approach and I’ll rely on that.”
On Fredi Gonzalez’s comment about La Stella thinking there’s another league:
“You know what, it’s not always going to be like this so I’ll take it when I can get it.”
JASON HEYWARD
On game plan with Trout was to catch everything:
“Anybody that hits the ball that way, you just try to catch it if it’s in the yard. I’ve watched him enough to know he likes to hit the ball that way. Right place, right time.”
On third time through the order get a better idea at the plate:
“Yeah. You don’t want to have to come from behind but it’s good to be able to do so. Santiago threw the ball pretty well for them, threw strikes, attacked the zone. Put together ABs, grinded them out. We finally broke and we came from behind.”
On how much of it was carry over from Saturday night rally:
“Absolutely. We’re not going to quit. We know the game’s within reach. Our pitchers kept the game in reach for us. Mike threw a lot of pitches, came out of the game early, bullpen held them right there, played some defense and got some timely hits.”
On playing a complete game:
“Just trying to take what the game gives you. It’s not over until the last out is made. Every run is huge. Doumit getting that fly right there at the end is huge.”
On La Stella’s big hits:
“He’s flying under the radar (laughs). He’s playing great, having good ABs, keeping it simple, taking what the game gives him. That’s all we can ask for ourselves there. I’m happy for him. Happy he’s doing well for us.”
On so many balls to right field corner off right handed hitters:
“That’s kind of what I expect out of those hitters. I know Freese, Trout, Kendrick, Pujols, those guys like to use the whole field and they swing the bat well that way and it works for them. That’s a lot of hits that way. I just try to take the ones away I can.”
On if more enjoyable coming in and diving or up against the wall:
“I like to run and go get it. Coming in I’m getting better at that. I don’t feel like that was the better part of my game in the outfield to start. I like to run and go get the ball and make a play.”
MIKE MINOR
On if walks away saying he gave up 11 hits, or 11 hits and only three runs:
“To be honest, I looked back and I saw all the hits and I felt like I was throwing better than that. I just felt like they were putting together really good at-bats on me. They were spoiling good pitches and then hitting bad pitches and I was walking guys, just one of those games where I felt better than the outcome.”
On trying to grind to save the bullpen:
“I really wanted to go back out there for the sixth but my spot came up. There was a double play ball it was close, I thought if we’re not going to score here, I really want to go back out there. I thought there was a chance right there but then I think it was Andrelton maybe beat it out, then we pinch hit.”
On the home runs:
“The one to Trout I think was the worst pitch of the night just because we know that he hits breaking balls in the zone, sliders from lefties and righties, he hammers them. (I was trying to throw it) for a chase pitch. It was too much in the zone. And he’s a lowball hitter. Everybody knows that. But I think the pitch when we called it, in my head, it was ‘Hey I’m going to nail this pitch. I’m going to throw it back foot. It was just up enough – I don’t think it was necessarily a bad pitch to a different hitter, but to him, it was a great pitch for him to hit.”
On if as tough a lineup as he’ll see:
“Yeah, I felt like I was battling all night. And when I gave in, it was a home run. It’s kind of one of those games with the Cardinals; it reminded me of that. When I gave in to Peter Bourjos, home run. (Similar to Erick Aybar home run.) Just because you feel like ‘Hey, this guy is in the bottom of the lineup, 2-0, I’m just going to give him a fastball, just to see if he can either take it, roll over, pop it up, give me an easy out somewhere and kind of just laid it in there for him. You can’t really relax on any of these guys.”
On last two starts struggles:
“It is what it is. The numbers aren’t there. I’m not pitching well. But I feel like I am. I feel fine. I feel like I’m going to bounce back every time. Tonight I felt great. I had pretty good stuff. To Hamilton there were a couple times where I hung some sliders when I was trying to overthrow it, two base hits and then I walk him. He’s fouling off all those fastballs away, and I couldn’t finish them. And obviously Trout is always a good hitter. Tough lineup.”
FREDI GONZALEZ
On if he knew Braves could come back and win tonight after coming up short Saturday:
“No. No, we didn’t. I thought Varvaro gave us those two solid innings in the middle of the game that kind of let us hang around a little bit. Mikey (gave up) 11 hits, and 104 pitches there in the fifth inning. We were going to take a shot with Danny pinch hitting. I didn’t feel comfortable running Mikey back out there facing that top of the order again. Varvaro, he gave us a hell of an outing, a chance to settle down a little bit. Then we put some numbers on them in the sixth, then we were able to add to it a little bit.”
On La Stella being calm under pressure:
“He’s doing what we thought he was going to do and that’s swing the bat and put the ball in play. He had a couple big hits today, drove in a couple runs. He keeps the line moving down there at the bottom of the lineup. I can’t sit here and say he has surprised us because we knew what we had to work with coming in. Our minor league player-development guys gave us a great scouting report on him. He is doing what we expected him to do it.’
On if there was any carryover from hitting well late in game last night, especially Freddie Freeman:
“You saw Freeman’s double yesterday and then he had a couple good AB’s today. When you get that trait in your team, and what I mean by that is not giving up, the opposing team is in a battle for 27 outs. Guys give you good at bats. I thought B.J. had some good at-bats. That inning we scored four runs he got on (with) a base on balls, and all of a sudden we got three or four hits in a row and kept the line moving. He made a great play defensively in centerfield. Jason made an unbelievable play off of Trout. Jason doesn’t make a good play and we may lose the game because all of a sudden he goes double off the wall. A lot of good things that we did today offensively and defensively.”
On if Jordan Walden seemed to be himself:
“That was nice to see him going through there and have a pretty clean inning.”
On the bullpen allowing no runs with eight strikeouts:
“That’s something to be said with that lineup. We faced Trout, Pujols, Hamilton and the other guys. Other than the ninth inning—we didn’t want to use Kimbrel three days in a row and we had to get him back in the game. But I’m pleased with what I’m seeing.”
On if the five base hits in a row in the sixth inning being a matter of floodgates opening or picking something up with Angels starter Hector Santiago:
“I think that’s some kind of record, isn’t it? When you are a major league hitter—we hadn’t seen Santiago at all (before)—all of a sudden second time through the lineup, third time, fourth time, I think we had a better read on him and started seeing better at-bats.”
On if he comes away thinking Minor gave up 11 hits for the second straight start or he gave up 11 hits but only allowed three runs:
“I think Minor gave up 11 hits and only gave up three runs. What I liked from Minor’s start was he competed, he stayed in the game. It’s hard to give up three runs and 11 hits. He’s doing something right. He’s not giving in.”
On La Stella looking this comfortable as a rookie being uncommon:
“You don’t know La Stella, do you? I think La Stella thinks there’s another league, the way he carries himself. So it didn’t surprise me he feels this comfortable right away. And I think spring training and being around the guys has helped.”
