**FREDI GONZALEZ
On the seventh inning
“We had a chance, we just couldn’t put the ball in play. Bases loaded with one out, got him on the ropes a little bit, just didn’t put the ball in play. I thought Teheran pitched a great game. I really did. He gave up three runs and a couple balls were ….two triples to Span and they did a nice job situational hitting. Other than that, the other run was a couple of infield singles or balls that got through the infield. Three runs it’s a nice outing for him, we just couldn’t get that blooper or that ball through the infield like we did last night. But other than that, it’s a good outing by Teheran.”
On bases loaded situation with one out in 7th
“Against Clippard, he was on the ropes and we just couldn’t put the ball in play or couldn’t get the flyball. That’s just the way it goes sometimes.”
On Freeman’s hot bat
“He’s swinging the bat. I thought he got him there at the end also Soriano. It was just off the end of the bat a little bit.”
On Stammen coming in and pitched four perfect innings
“We swung at pitches out of the strike zone early against him and we just get anything going against him. It’s the way it goes sometimes.”
On similarity to Blue Jays piecing it together with Perez, other relievers
“I was thinking about that outing against the Blue Jays when they brought in a couple of relievers to finish the game and today after the starter goes out, you’re almost thinking about what the Colorado Rockies were trying to do, have every starter come in and pitch three or four innings and bring a reliever in and just keep doing that which is tough to hit. As a hitter, it’s tough to bear down on one guy because you get a different guy. They (Nats) didn’t do it by design obviously – but it worked. It’s hard to get a read. You’re all geared up to face Strasburg and he goes out after seven hitters and now you’ve got to face a guy out of the bullpen and it’s just kind of tough on the hitters.”
**FREDDIE FREEMAN
On close loss, not doing much despite Strasburg’s early exit
“It’s always a close game against the Nationals. With Strasburg going out, we thought we had a better chance. But Craig Stammen came in and just shut us down. We were able to get to Clippard, then Soriano came in and shut us down. But it was a good game. It was hard-fought.”
Did you think you got all of that flyball in 9th off Soriano
“I didn’t get it all, but I thought it was enough to get it out. But obviously this is a big park, and I hit it to the wrong part of the field.”
On being geared up for Strasburg, then soon facing Stammen
“Stammen hadn’t pitched in a while, and he went out there and gave them four strong innings. Mowed right through us. We just weren’t able to get to him. But we got into their bullpen, so maybe that’ll help us out in the next two games.”
On having Clippard on the ropes, not taking advantage
“Bases loaded with less than two (outs), that’s a great situation. But we just weren’t able to come through tonight.”
On the series
“Definitely, it’s an important series. First- and second-place teams, you can close the game or make the gap bigger. See if we can come out here and tie the series up tomorrow.”
**JULIO TEHERAN
On giving up couple of early runs
“Just missing a little bit (with pitches). After that I just tried to command all my pitches. I think I had a good start today, used my changeup more.”
Span was the one guy that really hurt you, with the two leadoff triples
“Yeah, and it wasn’t bad pitches. I made my pitch and he got me.”
What did he hit?
“Fastball in, the first one. And the second one (third-inning single) was a strike, fastball outside. And the other one (sixth-inning triple) was a two-seamer. He got me with all I tried.”
On the loss
“You can have a good start sometime and lose the game. I feel OK. I think I did my work, tried to stay in the game and keep my team in it.”
