**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Teheran’s performance
“Gerald did a nice job with Teheran. That’s one reason he catches Teheran. Gives up four runs in the first two innings, then he changed the gameplan, went someplace else with him. And I think we give up two hits the rest of the way, counting Julio and the bullpen. But that’s why you match Gerald Laird up with a young pitcher.”
On the game
“A lot of good things. Obviously Pena off the bench giving us the bunt single and a two-run homer to win the game. But Chris Johnson had a nice night. It was a lot of nice stuff going on.”
On Pena coming up big a few times early in season
“All the time. We talk about this all the time, if this guy had played in the National League his whole career, he’d be a household name. He’s a prototypical National League player.”
“He’s playing now, where over there (with Yankees) you’re playing in the American League and backing up Derek Jeter and Cano and A-Rod, it’s tough to get in the game. Where here in the National League, the game will dictate a double-switch, a pinch-hit, go in there for defense, that kind of stuff. What a pick-up (getting) that young man.”
On the two-out drama in all the late innings
“We just kept plugging away, plugging away, scoring some runs. And it all set up for Ramiro there (in the 10th).”
If this set the tone for the 18-game series this season between these teams….
“These are two good teams with no easy outs up and down the lineup. We haven’t even started swinging the bat yet. It’s a good pitching staff. Our bullpen is solid, their bullpen is solid. Obviously if Soriano was available it might have been a different story, but we took advantage of that and snuck one in there.” (Note: Rafael Soriano got saves in all three games in the Nats’ series with the White Sox Tuesday through Thursday.)
When did you get a feeling you might pull this out
“When Gattis came up, I think it was in the eighth, we had second and third with two out. When Justin came up on that (single) that Zimmerman made a great play on down the line and just threw the ball away to second base. That was a big chance for one of those guys to come up big.
“But I thought the whole time, the way our bullpen kept throwing zeroes up there, you felt like you were in the game. We keep talking about our offense and all that stuff, but our pitching kept us in the ballgame for us to be able to do that tonight.”
On all the late-innings walks
“Big walks. Danny worked a big walk. Blake DeWitt came off the bench and had a nice sac bunt. That kid there is a winner, Blake is.”
**CHRIS JOHNSON
On the rally
“It got to 3-1 and I was able to hit something out to right field….
“We got some guys on base, and when you get guys on base good things happen. Justin had a pretty good at-bat and J-Hey was hustling down the second base, too. It’s a big win for us.”
On the team showing early it can come from behind
“It’s fun. We’re having fun out there. We know the game’s not over until we’re back in the clubhouse. I think there’s a deep part of everybody that thinks that we are going to come back every time it happens. That’s a good feeling. You don’t want to do it every time, but it’s good.”
On Detwiler
“He was tough. He was working both sides of the plate. He threw me a couple of good curveballs. He’s tough. He gets ahead of you, works fast. Next time we face him, we’ve just got to scratch a couple more runs across.”
**GERALD LAIRD
On Teheran’s improvement after first two innings
“He threw the ball good. We just kind of changed it up. He was having trouble getting that sinker away to righties and in to lefties, so we kind of switched it up a little bit and went into lefties with more four-seamers and sliders, and used the sinker on his arm side, so he wasn’t getting beat. Because he was getting beat a lot away when it came back over the middle of the plate. So we just kind of switched it up in the middle of the game.
“The first thing I did was come in here and talk to him about his night. I mean, that’s a big game for him to pitch. It could have got ugly real quick. He gave up two runs (each) of the first two innings, and young guys tend to … that can be a lopsided game there and kill our bullpen. But the kid stepped up. We changed the game plan. I went out there one time and said, ‘You’ve got to battle. No one ever said it’s easy, man.’ That was after the second time they scored (two runs). And he just said, ‘All right.’ And you could see the change in him. He started feeling more comfortable, he got some outs. He was mixing it up and he did a really good job. I’m happy for him.”
On the two-out big walks and hits in late innings
“That’s just the type of team we have. We’ve got a tough lineup, man. We grind out at-bats. Detwiler was tough tonight. We didn’t get many opportunities (against him), but once you get into the bullpen, just grinding at-bats. And that’s a good sign when guys take their walks, because that’s when teams get in trouble. Guys took their walks, didn’t try to do too much with pitches, and passed the baton to the next guy, and we were able to get some big hits with men in scoring position.”
**RAMIRO PENA
On the comeback and his big moments
“It was really good. I was just trying to concentrate and take advantage of the opportunities I have. Just doing my job and that’s it.”
On the mood in dugout late
“We tried to battle all day. Their (starting) pitcher was throwing really good and we couldn’t do anything against him. But then we got their relievers in. After we scored the first run, everything started to come together.”
Did you think you had a chance to drop in bunt for a single?
“As soon as Johnson got on base I was like, I just want to get him to second, I just want to bunt, and let’s see if I get on base. Even better. But my first thought was just to move him over.”
You trying to hit a homer in the 10th?
“I was feeling good today. I saw the pitcher and said, I’ll take a chance. I’m going to concentrate on one pitch, and he threw it right there. Good thing I didn’t miss it. That’s what I was looking for, and the good thing was I didn’t miss it.”
What was pitch?
“Fastball, middle-in. It was right there.”
On how he feels to have a big role in some early wins
“It feels good. I have to believe more in myself sometimes. The good thing is the manager believes in me, he trusts me.”
On the homer
“I was thinking, I hit that one good. Let’s see if I got it, because I saw earlier the flags were blowing in. I just wanted to make sure it was gone.”
You have any hits with the Yankees bigger than this?
“No, I don’t think so. I had a couple of homers, but never like in the ninth inning or something.”
** JULIO TEHERAN
On his turnaround after second inning
“The first two innings I was missing a little bit in the strike zone. I’m glad I came out in the next four innings and made the adjustment.”
What did Laird say after the first couple innings?
“He told me just to slow down a little bit, because that’s why I was missing the zone, I was trying to hurry. But he told me to slow everything down and to keep the team in the game. So that’s what I was thinking.”
On the late innings
“I was excited. I was yelling. It was fun, the way the team came back.”
Carry forward any confidence from the last four innings you pitched?
“Yes, I got confidence back after the first two innings, I made better pitches.”
Too excited, like had been against Cubs?
“I wouldn’t say excited. I was missing a little bit. I was glad I made the adjustment. That’s what I was thinking the rest of the game.”
**EVAN GATTIS
On being part of the rally
“That was awesome. I was just glad we won. That was too cool. Never went from first base to catching before during a game. That was awesome. I’m just glad we won. Geez.”
Character-type win for the team?
“I like to think so, for sure. Down by four going into the seventh, until C.J. hit that home run. That was awesome. I’m just glad we won.”
On Ramiro Pena’s contributions
“Too cool. And the bunt, too. I would not have expected that. It’s just awesome. Good win for us. Good feeling.”
Mood in dugout
“I don’t think we really thought we were going to lose, ever.”
On the play to start game, when his foot came off base on 3B Chris Johnson’s throw
“He had to charge in from third toward home plate, so I went like right here (with left foot on base) to give him a better target. In hindsight, if I was right there (with right foot on base), I could have (extended further for ball).”
**DAN UGGLA
On the rally
“In that eighth inning everybody had huge at-bats. B.J., Justin – everybody contributed somehow, some way.”
On the patience team showed late, the walks
“Detwiler was on his game tonight. He was tough. His fastball was very effective. We were able to show more discipline and more patience in the later innings, which is when you really need to. We re made Clippard work, made Storen work, caught a couple of breaks, and next thing you know Pena with a little two-run bomb….”
On Pena’s contributions early in season
“Man, unbelievable. He’s come through huge for us. Seems like every time he’s been called on to do something, he has.”
On the comeback
“Any time you can come back in the eighth and ninth inning and steal one, that’s a good feeling.”
