Quotes compiled by Erica Hernandez
AARON HARANG
On it seeming like he was always one pitch away:
“Yeah you know definitely didn’t feel as sharp as I had been in the past. I mean all it would have taken was one pitch here or there and they were just hitting the ball. There were some balls hit that just finding spots to drop in. I didn’t feel like they hit the ball extremely hard today, probably the only real once was (Domonic) Brown’s double down the right field line and (Ryan) Howard’s double. And then everything else, (Marlon) Byrd got me for an infield hit and then a broken bat hit that fell in for an RBI. (Wil) Nieves got a couple hits to right field there, but other than that it’s one of those days where I wasn’t sharp. They seemed to be all over my breaking pitches too. I was just trying to hang in there and hope to get our bullpen a little bit of a rest. You know, I just had to battle through those last few innings to at least take another major blow out of the bullpen.”
On his frustration level after getting the first two outs in the second inning:
“Definitely, it’s just amazing how fast those situations can spiral out of control. Go from two quick outs to four or five runs in a matter of a few pitches. They have a veteran team over there and they know how to string together some innings. You’ve got to give them a lot credit for being able to do that.”
On if his fastball command wasn’t where he’d like it to be:
“It started out so quick, not even really being able to establish my fastball there in the first inning. You know, first pitch of the game guy lays about the best bunt down you could find. Then a steal and a bag and (Wil) Nieves shoots a ball to right and that stuff happens so quick that it puts you in a hole. Was never really able to get settled in and get in a groove.”
RYAN DOUMIT
On how close Aaron Harang was to a different result in his pitching:
“You know I don’t think that he had his best stuff today but he battled, he was out there. The Phillies are playing pretty good baseball. We’re not playing our best right now, but I thought he battled.”
On if it’s one of those times when you just have to keep looking ahead and get ready for Washington:
“It was a tough series, no doubt about it. But we seem to play well against the Nationals. We’re going to go into D.C. with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder. This wasn’t a good series, and it left a bad taste in our mouth, but we’re going to go take it out on the Nationals.”
On his good day at the plate, taking advantage of opportunity:
“It’s nice to play. It’s nice to get four at-bats in a game. Every time I’m in there, I enjoy it. But from the team standpoint we didn’t play our best. We didn’t play our best this series but again we seem to crank it up a notch against the Nationals and I expect us to do so.”
On Gattis playing so well after a day off, coming back with a homer:
“The guy is an animal; I mean I don’t know what to say. I’m right there with you guys. It’s fun just to sit back there and what him do what he does. He’s a special talent, and it’s fun to watch.”
FREDI GONZALEZ
On if it was it just one of those days for Harang:
“Yeah, you know what, it was a tough day, and I thought he battled under the circumstances and he knew what’s going on in the bullpen. He’s paid attention the last three days and he gave us everything he had, really. He gave us whatever he had, it was 110 pitches. It’s one of those outings. Tough timing on it because of our circumstances in the bullpen, but I can’t complain about it really.”
On if it was nice to see the offense come back after he gave up two:
“Yeah you know what, I thought we swung at-bats well. The whole crew, up and down the lineup, I think everybody got on base or got a base hit throughout the course of the lineup. And we were knocking on the door there almost the entire game, trying to get back in it, which always is a good sign. It’s a situation where the three games with Anaheim and these three games here, our pitching was a little thin in the bullpen right now.”
On Harang seeming like he was one pitch away in the first and second inning:
“Yes, just a pitch here a pitch there and we just couldn’t get that pitch. But, you know what, I like the way he competed. He never gave in, he was a veteran, professional pitcher that knew what was at stake and he just kept battling for us.”
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