** FREDI GONZALEZ
On McCann picking up where he left off before break
“McCann did a nice job. He had a great at-bat against Danks.”
On Hudson
“Huddy did a terrific job. He really did. We got some timely hits. The three-run homer (by McCann). The two-run homer by Simmons to put us on the board. And then the nice at-bat by Chris Johnson to get us that extra run in the ninth inning. That’s always good.”
Did Hudson seemed to settle in?
“He commanded all his pitches, really. A couple of the base hits that he gave up early were groundball base hits. When he’s doing that, you feel like, at least, the sinker is working.
“We made a nice double play with runners on first and third and one out, that kind of handcuffed Simmons a little bit, and he still made the double play. That was a big double play at that time.”
On Terdoslavich’s defense in first MLB game at 1st base
“He did OK. He looked good around the bag. And sure enough, we talked to Freeman (about going in eighth inning for defense) and you put him in the game and the second play he has a collision with Dunn at first base. I’m glad that everybody walked off and nobody got hurt there.”
He OK, looked like he took a knee in the back?
“Yeah, he’s OK. It was just a little guy that landed on him (275-pound Dunn), I don’t know what the big deal was.” (laughter)
More on McCann, looking close to his peak form again lately at the plate
“He looks really good. He’s a presence in that middle lineup.”
On Chris Johnson
“He gives you really good at-bats. His last one to add on a run in the ninth inning was a big one.”
Simmons has given you more than just spectacular defense, lately he’s hit some homers and driven in runs?
“Yeah, but you know what, how about some of the plays that he’s made? People always want more. I don’t know what he’s hitting, but his RBIs and his hits and batting average, for me, it’s in his glove. And whatever he gives us offensively, it’s a bonus.”
**BRIAN McCANN
On starting off second half way he ended first
“I’ve been feeling good for a while now. I got to swing a little bit over the All-Star break at the game (during All-Star game batting practice). I think it takes every player in baseball four or five innings to get back in the swing of things after you take four or five days off. It was nice to get it in the first game back.”
On 11-pitch at-bat on the homer off lefty Danks, who’s tough on lefty hitters
“I was covering away. He hung a changeup in, and I was lucky enough to put the good part of the bat on it.”
On Simmons
“I don’t know if there’s another shortstop in baseball that makes that play up the middle that he made on Beckham. He made it look so easy. But from my angle, there’s not many guys that can get that ball. What he does with the bat, you take it as a bonus, and he’s got nine home runs. He’s hitting .250, getting some huge hits for us. He’s been huge for us.”
On Hudson
“I thought he pitched great tonight. His sinker was really darting down in the zone. He was working his four-seamer up. His curveball, I thought, was the best it’s been in a while. So, when he can elevate, when he can pitch north and south (in the strike zone), he’s really good.”
**TIM HUDSON
On pitching so well after giving up the lead on two-run double in third
“We played some great defense behind me, had some really great plays. I was able to make some pitches, and we got the three-run lead there. Makes my job easier. I’ve said before, when you get a little lead like that, I was able to be more aggressive.”
On McCann lately looking about as good as ever
“Yeah, it’s pretty evident that his shoulder was bothering him, holding him back from a performance standpoint over the past couple of years. It’s nice to see him finally get back healthy and be the kind of hitter that we always knew he was. This game is tough enough to go out there and be successful, much less when you have some nagging injuries that most people don’t quite understand what you’re dealing with. You just go out there and play, and a lot of people see a player not living up to the kind of player that everybody expects him to be. A lot of times, it’s injuries a lot of people don’t know about.
“He’s a guy who’s a perennial All-Star, perennial Silver Slugger, a guy that this organization and this team has leaned on for a lot of years. It’s nice to see him get back to it.”
On Simmons
“He’s awesome. There’s really nothing else I can say. The arm he brings to the field and the kind of range he has, it’s fun to watch. Me being a sinkerballer and going out there and seeing him do his thing, it makes me a lot better than I am a lot of times, I can tell you that.”
On getting his first win at U.S. Cellular
“It’s been a while since I had a win here. About 15 years?” (laughter)
“Yeah, you know what, man. I haven’t fared too well here over the years. I don’t think I’ve had a lot of games pitched here (0-3 in five before tonight), but when I have pitched here it hasn’t been too pretty at times. It’s nice to finally get in the right column. It was still close; it’s never easy. But a win’s a win.”
On the double play that Simmons started
“It was one of the big keys to the game. With a runner on third base, make a double play there. Especially with a tough hop that Simmons had, still able to turn it. Got me out of a jam. And we put up a three-spot after that, which is always nice.”
