Quotes from manager Fredi Gonzalez and several players following the Braves' 5-1 loss to the Phillies Monday night.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Cole Hamels
“He had all his pitches working tonight and fairly early too. He had command of his fastball, his cutter, his change-up he threw any time he wanted. A couple times he threw it on 3-2 pitches. He did a nice job. He really did for them. I’m glad we were able to score a run there in the ninth inning. We were hoping to get into the bullpen just to use up the bullpen. When you get into those games, sometimes just getting into the bullpen helps the rest of the series. And he didn’t let us do that. Other than that one sequence that Teheran hit Ruf with a two-strike pitch and then the ball came back over the plate against Asche, and a three-run homer, but other than that, he did a nice job.”
On early opportunity with runner at third and one out
“We didn’t get a productive out there and maybe that changes the whole complexion of the game, us getting a run there. But that didn’t happen.”
Other than mistake to Asche, think Teheran pitched OK?
“Yeah, just OK. The first couple innings were tough with the rain, and he wasn’t really comfortable. You could tell right off the get go that he wasn’t really comfortable with it but I thought after that that sequence, the curveball got away from him and hit Ruf and then a ball that you try to go in off the plate on him and I think it just leaked back over the plate.”
Phillies still a dangerous team on any given night?
“It’s a good club. It really is. You look at the names up and down the lineup, it’s a good club. And the guy on the mound today made the big difference for them. He may be the best 3-14 pitcher we’ve faced all year. He was good. You’ve got to give him some credit tonight.”
On the triple by Hamels to gap
“I thought B.J. went after it pretty good and then the ball rattled off the wall. That’s one run, they execute there and it’s one run. We didn’t get many good swings off (Hamels).”
On feeling like Teheran would get in groove after bases-loaded situation
“Yeah, he got a leadoff double in the first inning and he got out of that jam. And we’ve seen him pick up his game a little bit. You thought it was a good ballgame, like I said. That sequence of those two hitters kind of messed up his whole night.”
**CHRIS JOHNSON
On Hamels’ performance
“You know any time you play the Phillies this could happen, with the arms they run out there. Just give all the credit to Cole Hamels tonight. They got some runs on the board early, and he got settled in pretty quick.”
Hard to believe Hamels leads the league in losses?
“Yes, very. Very hard. He’s nasty. He was throwing all his pitches for strikes. I mean, there was one at-bat where he threw me a different pitch every single pitch. When he’s like that, he’s nasty and you’ve just got to tip your hat.”
“We hit some balls hard. We hit some balls right at people. B.J. hit a couple of balls hard right at the guy. But, you know, sometimes you get beat when a good pitcher gets on the bump and he’s on.”
**JULIO TEHERAN
When you stranded bases loaded in the third, did you feel like you might get in a groove after that?
“Yeah, I had my good stuff. I think it was just one pitch (the Asche homer). I won’t call it a mistake, because that was the pitch I wanted to make, and I think it was in a good spot.”
What was it?
“Fastball in…. I talked to (McCann) and he said that was a good pitch.”
Did the rain bother you at all
“No, I was just concentrating on the game and didn’t think of it like it was delayed. Just a normal game. I just warmed up like it was a normal game, didn’t have a problem with that.”’
On hitting Ruf before the homer
“It was a changeup. That was OK. The next batter, the home run, that was the big pitch.”
“I had my regular stuff. Just one pitch cost the game.”
**JUSTIN UPTON
On Hamels
“He had good stuff tonight. He flat-out beat us.”
Did you know early on he was going to be tough to beat?
“Obviously as the game went on you saw him get more comfortable. We didn’t get to him early and make him deviate from his plan, so he got comfortable and he started being able to do what he wanted to do.”
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