Braves quotes after Friday’s win against Marlins

**FREDI GONZALEZ

On the game, pitching matchup lived up to billing

“The two young kids, Teheran and Fernandez, yeah they both pitched outstanding. They both had tough innings. Julio the third and I don’t remember if it was the fourth or fifth for Fernandez but they both pitched really really well. I was really surprised for both guys, the composure, for being young. In those jams, they didn’t rattle, especially Fernandez after Mac, I don’t even know how many pitches he fouled off and stayed alive and got him out. I’ve got a feeling that those two guys are going to match up for a lot of games in the future.”

On Varvaro stepping up with no Kimbrel or Walden

“That was great. That’s all we had without putting people in situations where they might have gotten hurt. And he did a nice job. Ayala got a big out. Downsy got a big out but for me two guys, Julio giving us – after that long inning – went out there and got all the way to the seventh inning. And if anybody in the major leagues other than Simmons is playing shortstop, we lose that game. It’s as simple as that. He made a bunch of plays. Schafer made a nice play to gun out Stanton at second base. That was a big run too.”

On Freeman making first-pitch-swing strategy work, year after year

“He’s an aggressive guy and he covers it. Another night, fourth night in a row, we got a couple runs early and we held on.”

On Fernandez’s demeanor, seem like he’s talkative in a fun way?

“Yeah I think so. Our guys have respect for him and it wasn’t like he was out there showboating or anything. He’s a guy that for me it reminds me of a guy that’s pitching in his backyard, pitching the game that he’s having fun, he’s competing, and he’s confident in his pitches and why not, because they’re pretty darn good. Guys were walking back (in the dugout), I can’t remember if it was Schafer or somebody else, said that might have been the best slider I’ve ever seen. It was a left-handed hitter, whoever it was. But you know? Julio matched him and did a nice job also.”

On Fernandez acknowledging Freeman after double in the fourth

“Yeah, he does a good job out there. I’m curious to pitch in the future for a long time because he had fun, he respects the game, he respects his opponents, and he’s pretty darn good.”

Think this marquee matchup can get Teheran some national attention?

“Yeah, because he’s been pretty consistent. Other than maybe an outing here or there he’s been really really consistent. It was one of those matchups that everybody’s been talking about and it kind of came to fruition. Last time it was Strasburg and Minor and both guys were out in the second inning. But it was good. We continued to play good defense, made good plays and just get enough runs.”

On Simmons even attempting to double-up runner at first after that diving stab on line drive

“Yeah he’s unbelievable, also the ball that came off C.J.’s glove; he stayed with the play. He’s got a nose for the ball. The play is never over. He’s got great court awareness. Stan (Van Gundy) would like me to use that. He knows what’s going on. And it’s special to watch. The stuff that he does out there you can’t teach.”

On roster move after game

“We’re going to send Gattis down for these next three days until the triple a season gets overwith. We need to get him some at-bats, we really do, and that’s the only reason we’re sending him down. We talked to him earlier in the day. He’s just not getting at-bats, and I think we’re going to use these next, their season is over Monday to get him eight, 12 at-bats, maybe even more, whatever we can get him, just to get him going and get him back to help us. And that’s the only reason and he’s on board with that….It is positive. He hasn’t played in a while. He’s not swinging the bat and the only way to get him some at-bats is to get him down there.”

**JULIO TEHERAN

On his performance

“I was really concentrating on this game. I know a lot of people were watching us. I was trying to concentrate and get out of that one bad inning.”

On going up against Fernandez

“I was excited. I tried to do my best and show everybody what I can do. It’s good to get the win.”

On Fernandez tripling to start third inning

“I know he’s a good hitter. I just tried to make a pitch and he got the triple. I didn’t try to get in that trouble.”

What did Roger McDowell say when he came out with bases loaded?

“He just told me to take a breath and try to make better pitchers than what I was doing. I concentrated and got out of it.”

Were you excited about facing Fernandez tonight?

“Yeah, I was excited. I know everybody was talking about it. I just focused on my game and tried to do what I did.”

On the defense

“The defense was good. It made me more excited when I saw those guys making plays, like Simmons. It’s great.”

On getting a two-run lead in 1st

“When I saw them support me runs, that’s when I got excited. What I said was, now I have to do my thing.”

**ELLIOT JOHNSON

Hadn’t faced Fernandez before, what’s your plan going up there in first inning?

“You’ve got to look for a fastball. He’s got 98 in the tank, so if he’s not throwing that, I don’t know why he would throw you a bunch of other stuff. I mean, he’s not going to be able to survive if he just throws a bunch of curveballs all day. Which, he kind of started doing my second at-bat. I gained a little respect when he threw me three straight (curveballs). But I mean, you have to go up there looking fastball. Any other approach is ridiculous.”

And then Freeman follows you by going deep on first pitch he saw

“First-pitch changeup. Let’s not forget how hard that is. I mean, you’re some kind of special if you go up there and first pitch you see from a guy who can throw 98, and you hit a change-up dead center for a homer? That’s special.”

On Freeman swinging at second-most first pitches in majors

“Might as well, if he’s hitting .300 and it broke, there’s no reason to fix it. It’s working for him. And he’s not hitting singles, he’s hitting homers, extra-base hits.”

On the team chemistry since he’s come over

“Well, I mean it’s easy to have team chemistry when you win this much. Everybody’s happy, everybody feels like they’re doing their job, there’s no pressure from ownership on the GM, from the GM on the manager, and the manager on the coaches and then on the players. I mean, that’s kind of how it works. Everybody seems happy. You win, everything’s good. When you run into a little bit of turmoil, you see what the cohesiveness is like. But I haven’t been here for any of the bad times.”

“Obviously with the head start that they’ve got – that we’ve got – pretty much at this point, it’s got get ‘em every day, and everybody’s pretty relaxed.”

See what all the buzz is about over Fernandez?

“Absolutely, he’s got an explosive fastball. His breaking ball is really good, really hard, it’s moving a ton. He can throw it for a strike, then he can throw you the hard one that looks just like his heater and when you’re respecting 97 (fastball) you’re going to get a ton of swing-and-misses. That’s why he gets so many.”

On Teheran

“It’s cool to see him work out of the bases-loaded jam. He pitched really well. And B-Mac does a really good job of recognizing what to throw. He does a really good job of, when you watch him even from left field, I don’t get to see the fingers he’s putting down, but to see the type of sequences he’s putting together…. There was a fair amount of shaking (off) tonight, but you really don’t see a ton of shaking (off) when B-Mac is back there. Really, an underrated part of his game, he does a really good job. When I’m playing second base I like to follow along and see what I would do. He does a really good job of kind of steering, or his recommendation to the pitcher, in the right direction in my opinion.”

On Simmons’ defense

“That guy is special. I mean, the play, the first one … you’re going as hard as you can to the right, you’re thinking, ‘Probably jump throw, if I get it, going to be bang-bang…’ And then to stop, change directions, and he just caught it flat-footed and threw it over there at like 94 (mph) still. I mean, it was really impressive. He’s got a special arm. And to be able to stop on a time like that and catch it, and still be able to put that much on the throw…”

**ANTHONY VARVARO

On his first save

“I definitely knew that it was a save situation, but I looked at it as any other outing. Just go out there and pitch the way I’ve always pitched for the whole year.”

What does your first save mean?

“It just means that we’re one step closer to a playoff berth. It’s cool and all to get into the books, but I’m just looking at it as a team win. As long as we keep on collecting them, we’ll be able to reach our ultimate goal.”

On Schafer throwing the ball into the stands after final out

“He wasn’t aware that was my first save. I told him it wasn’t a big deal, it’s just a ball. Apparently he went back out there and somehow got ahold of it. I don’t know if he went into the batting cage and picked one up or what (laughter), but he came back with one.”

(Note: Schafer actually took a bat out and exchanged it for the ball from the fan who had caught it when the right fielder tossed it in the front row after the final out.)

**JOSE FERNANDEZ

On the game

“That was a tough one. It was pretty tough. I learned a lot from it.”

On 14-pitch battle with McCann:

“It was fun, a 14-pitch at bat. I’m throwing every pitch that I’ve got.”