Braves quotes from Chris Johnson, Jason Heyward, Mike Minor, Gerald Laird and manager Fredi Gonzalez after Friday’s 2-1 loss to San Francisco.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On the game and leaving so many runners on base including the ninth inning
“Well, we had the right guys at the plate that last inning with Freeman and Justin. You like to have those guys come up late in the game, especially a one-run game. But, you know, we’re just not putting that crooked number up.
“I thought Mike was outstanding today, especially after the first at-bat by Pagan, then he had a couple of balls hit hard after that in that first inning, but he settled down after that. And then the ball that Morse hit (home run in sixth) down the right-field line, I wasn’t sure that ball was going to go out and it did.
“But we left a lot of people on, 12 runners on base. We’re getting on base, we’re stealing bases and trying to create some runs that way, but we’re just not getting them in when we have to. But you feel pretty good about driving in some runs there with those two guys at the plate.”
Does that make it more frustrating that you are getting hits, just not in the most important situations?
“That’s baseball. That’s the crazy game that we play and love. I think if you just putting people on base and keep getting base hits, sooner or later we’ll get a crooked number up there.”
Mike would’ve stayed in for another inning if his place in order hadn’t come up with runners on?
“Yeah, we were planning on it. But his first start, and all of a sudden it’s first and third with two outs, you’ve got to try to take a shot there.”
Hits are coming, but do you just say this is one of those spells where you’re getting hits but not scoring?
“Yeah, it is. When you’re not scoring runs this is the kind of games you get. Jason got on base, he had three hits. B.J.’s got a six-game hitting streak going. Freeman got a knock. Justin got on base twice with (walks), and so on and so on. But now we need to split a gap with people on base, put a big number up.”
On Braves struggling with bunts after working on them in spring and pregame
“It’s a little different when you’re facing a coach throwing 55 miles an hour or a machine, than it when you’re facing a live arm throwing curveballs, sliders, sinkers, not wanting you to bunt the ball. But we’ll just keep working on those things.”
**MIKE MINOR
On giving up leadoff homer to Pagan
“I didn’t feel like he was going to pull me (to left field) like that, and he did. After that it kind of woke me up and I said, hey, I’m going to make some pitches here and not just throw strikes.”
On his overall performance
“I did well. I felt good. Threw some quality pitches. They hit some mistakes. I gave up a lot of hits that I felt like were more middle-of-the-plate (pitches). But other than that I felt good. Morse’s ball was up, it was a good piece of hitting to hit it the other way.”
On adjustment from rehab starts in minors to big-league game
“I was more excited, though. I think that was maybe me overthrowing and leaving balls over the middle of the plate, early on. And then later on I felt like I threw some quality pitches and got some double plays.”
Could have gone back out in seventh?
“Yeah, it was one of those situations where we had to pinch-hit right there. But I wanted to go back out. But when you’ve got guys on base and we’re down, you’ve got to pinch-hit right there.”
**GERALD LAIRD
On Minor’s outing
“He kept us in the game all day. He pitched good enough to get us a win today, we just couldn’t get that big hit. We’re just not getting that big hit to kind of get things going, but it’ll come…. If he (Minor) does that all year, he’s going to win a lot of games.”
If you’d gotten a few of those big hits in some of these games….
“What are we, 17-11? And I don’t even think we’ve hit like we should hit all year. We’ve been kind of struggling for runs and getting a three-run home run here and there to give us a lead. But I think this team is capable of scoring a lot more runs. Just be patient. You don’t want the young guys pressing. Just continue doing what you do and things are going to turn around. We keep pitching the way we are and we’re going to win a lot of games.”
**CHRIS JOHNSON
On Minor
“He did awesome. It’s frustrating right now, us not being able to help (the pitchers) out at all. We left some guys on base, I left some guys on base. We’re just in one of those ruts where we’ve got to come up with that big hit. I think we just need one to get us going. We all feel bad that we can’t help our pitching staff out. They’re going out there giving up one run, two runs, and getting beat. We should win those games. But we’ll get going.”
More on hitting
“We’re doing a good job of getting on base. Guys are getting on base and working at-bats, we just can’t get that one big hit. It gets frustrating at times, but you’ve got to keep going.”
**JASON HEYWARD
On offense
“Tonight we gave ourselves opportunities and it just didn’t happen. Lost a ballgame 2-1…. It’s going to happen sometimes.”
On Minor
“I’m just happy he went out there and felt good, was able to throw strikes and settle down after giving up the home run. He worked well tonight. That’s all you can ask, first start.”
