Braves quotes from Julio Teheran, Jonny Gomes and Fredi Gonzalez after Friday’s 2-1 win against the Phillies.
**JULIO TEHERAN
On improvement over last start at Pittsburgh
“I was a little more aggressive, trying to attack the hitters a little more. Me and Lavarnway were on the same page, trying to make pitches, and I think that was the difference.”
But once again, you’ve pitched this way all season at home, it’s the road that’s been so problematic
“Well, it feels a little bit special with the crowd and being at home, you just want support and to do what you can do, to be happy to be at home. I mean, I wish I could get this field and take it with me.”
Fredi joked he might fly you into next road game on day of the game, let you sleep at home night before
(laughs) “That (home-road split) is something. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just happy that I did my job today, and I’ll try to keep going.”
On the run support from Gomes and Uribe (home runs)
“I was just trying to keep my team in the game, and I knew at some point we were going to score.”
**JONNY GOMES
On giving Teheran some early run support with a homer
“The way he pitched tonight, he didn’t need too much run support. Not very often solo home runs win games, but if you hit more solo home runs than them, they will. That young lefty had some good stuff tonight, kept our guys off-balance. Juan and I were able to have two good swings.”
On Uribe since he’s been with Braves
“Check the track record, he’s been impressive for a long time. He’s well-decorated, he’s a world champ, he’s found success everywhere he’s gone. He’s a real dangerous right-handed bat. A lot of people sit on his defense as well, but he’s got the highest fielding percentage among (active) third baseman. So he brings a lot to the table.”
Did you know the ball you hit was gone right away?
“Yeah, I was sitting dead-red fastball first pitch, and got it. He left it up a little bit. One of those trick at-bats, haven’t play in a while, might be seeing some pitches, and I just wanted to jump on him early. At the end of the day, I just had one good swing, and Julio did the rest. Tip your hat to him.”
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Julio Teheran’s performance
“Really good outing. And especially against a predominantly left-handed hitting lineup. He did a terrific job. And also getting the last out there in the seventh inning was big. Real pleased about his outing. Real pleased about the way he went about it. And hopefully we can build on that.”
On importance of getting that last out
“Well, I had confidence in him to let him get that last out. And it was a big one. It was a big one. I think also that inning, we get that replay at second base overturned. That was a nice job by our video guy in here who called the line and said, ‘Hey, challenge that.’ And you never know when they go look in the headset which way New York is going to come up with it, but they overturned it and it was a big out.”
On how great he is at home vs. on the road
“Yeah and it’s one of those things you can’t explain. Maybe we’ll fly him in the day of his start, just fly him in that day. Let him sleep in his bed, maybe that will help. But yeah and it’s one of those numbers that you look at and scratch your head and it’s one of those thing where you just say, ‘It’s baseball.’”
On “old guys” getting it done at the plate tonight
“Uribe’s swinging the bat. Big one there, and Jonny Gomes against left-handed pitching — that’s what Jonny’s here for. He gives you good at-bats, gives you great energy, great effort. So good for him.”
On Jim Johnson’s performance in the ninth
“Well we haven’t gone three days in a row with (Jason) Grilli. We’ve kept him that way and he’s been really, really successful. With J.J. (Jim Johnson), he’s a guy that’s a durable workhorse. He’s a guy that could do it. But we won’t go four with J.J. But it’s a nice luxury to have when you have two guys you have confidence in in the end of the game that you could set it up, and either or could close for you in that particular night.”
On Jace Peterson coming through defensively after a tough night in the field
“The slow roller…that’s a tough play. Coming in as a second baseman, that maybe the hardest play that a second baseman could make. I thought he made a nice scoop I think sometimes that second baseman and first baseman get too close to each other. Even Chris Johnson would tell you it’s hard for him to see the ball where its coming from. But Peterson, there’s no complaints with the way he’s playing.”
