Braves quotes after 7-3 loss to Orioles on Tuesday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Julio Teheran’s start
“I think it was just a matter of not getting the pitches. There was a couple of pitches the first couple innings—they were balls, we came back up here (to see video) and they were balls. They didn’t swing at it and he didn’t’ get the call and he got the behind the count and he had to throw fastballs to a pretty good fastball-hitting team. Really, the only guy that hurt him was Davis. Everybody else, there were some people on and some balls hit hard but he gave up a two-run home run and a three-run home run to Davis and that was pretty much it. The pitch count I was worried about that’s why he didn’t go back out there in the fifth inning. He labored for four innings, (92) pitches. If we get a call here or there maybe he can just eliminate one of the home runs Davis hit and it’s a different ballgame.”
On Teheran struggling early on road
“His last outing was pretty darn good. Maybe he’s reading or thinking about the road thing. It’s been out there the whole year and that’s something we have to overcome and help him overcome it. This year it’s just one of those things.”
On if it’s a mental thing for Teheran
“I don’t know if it’s mental but the numbers sure show it. We’ve got to get through it. We can’t pick and choose when he pitches. We’ve got a five-man rotation. We go on a 10-game road trip what are we going to do, send him home? We’ve got to get through it somehow.”
On Ubaldo Jimenez giving up two runs early then nothing
“I think sometimes you get two runs in the first and then your starter goes out and gives them three it’s hard. We had him on the ropes again the next inning and then we didn’t (score). Then they got another two-spot and it’s just hard to bounce back from those home runs.”
On Freddie Freeman showing pop to opposite field
“Yeah, that’s his slot right there. When he gets his swing going that’s his power there to right-center field. It was nice to see him get going. He also made a couple nice plays defensively.”
On team’s road struggles
“Maybe sometimes Julio is pitching some of those games. But no I don’t think it’s a team thing.”
On the starter for Wednesday
“We DFA’d (David) Carpenter and we brought up ‘Folty’ (Mike Foltynewicz). Folty is going to start for us tomorrow.”
**JULIO TEHERAN
On if he was affected by getting squeezed by umpire early
“When I came in I looked (at video) and maybe I was missing just a little bit. I don’t want to make any excuses. It’s kind of a different game when you make that kind of pitch and you don’t get that kind of pitch. My offspeed wasn’t working today.”
On if he could tell early the offspeed wasn’t working
“I could tell from the first inning that it wans’t the same as my last start. I’m trying to work and battle with the other pitches I had.”
On the two home runs by Chris Davis
“I was trying to pitch him different. He’s a really good pitcher so we’ve got to give him the credit. I was trying to make my pitches. I threw him all my pitches but he’s a really good hitter and he got me twice.”
On if he can explain why he’s good at home but not road
“I don’t know. Obviously everybody knows that I’ve been a little struggling on the road. But I’m trying to work, I’m trying to do the same thing I do at home. This is a game where sometimes you don’t understand what happens but you’ve just got to work and keep your mind right and keep your mind strong.”
On if he’s thinking about the home/road split too much
“No, obviously I wasn’t to do the right things and do good. I want to do my job every time I go out there. Even if I don’t do right I’m trying to concentrate for my next one and that’s all I can do.”
**FREDDIE FREEMAN
On if it was a good sign to hit a home run opposite field
“Obviously it is but all night I felt like I was on pitches, then I wasn’t on pitches. It was just kind of hit and miss during the at-bats. I felt good in the box but sometimes it was too deep, sometimes ti was too early and sometimes it was right on. I obviously liked the home run swing but the 0-2 from (Brian) Matusz I hit that on the barrel. I was late on the offspeed, I was late on the heater. At least I’m getting more hard contact and hopefully it will continue tomorrow and get more and more better ABs and lock it in.”
On what adjustments Jimenez made after first inning
“He threw two balls to me and I swung at them and that kind of helps him out. He settled down. We had him on the ropes in the first and we thought it was going to be a good day for us offensively. He was able to get into a groove and make some good pitches and he was able to go seven innings tonight. Didn’t think that was going to happen after the first.”
On adjusting to big-league hitting after missing 30 games
“It’s spring training for me again. You don’t do anything for six weeks then you go down there and swing for four days and play one rehab game. I’m healthy so hopefully it will come quick.”
On Teheran’s outing
“It was two mistakes, you know? It’s to one of the best power hitters in the game. Obviously the first (pitch) was a good one down and he was able to get to it. I thought he made a good pitch on that (second) one. It was up at his letters. You’ve got to tip your cap to him to be able to get his hands on top. He came at him heater, heater and he fouled off, fouled off. He went right back up there and he got to it. I thought he just made a couple mistakes tonight. He still looks good. Hopefully he can go out there for that last game in Philly and put up a good road start.”
