WASHINGTON — Braves quotes from Jason Heyward, Mike Minor and manager Fredi Gonzalez after Monday’s 2-1 loss to the Nationals.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On 8th-inning rally ending with JUpton popup
“We got one run there. We had the right guys (to get more), but right now we’re scarce to score some runs. It’s hard.”
On Braves pitching
“I love the way we battled back, almost got out of that seventh inning without giving up any runs, after going second and third with no outs. David (Hale) did a nice job there, got the ground ball, just didn’t turn the double play. I’m not so sure if he tipped it, maybe that threw the timing off at second base. And Minor was outstanding again. I think he’s rattled off five, six starts in a row where he’s given us every opportunity to win a ballgame.”
More on Hale inducing that potential double-play grounder
“That’s exactly why he’s in there. I know we’ve used him in the long role a few times. Roger and I, maybe a week ago, we were talking about instead of using him (in long role) – we’ve got 17 pitchers down there, maybe bring him in in those situations where you can get a ground ball out of it. He did. Actually he got three ground balls. He did his job.”
On Fister not giving up a run against Braves in two starts (15 innings) this season
“He’s a guy whose ball sinks and it cuts, and every once in a while he throws an old-fashion curveball at you, and doesn’t give you a good look. And when you do put the ball in play, it’s on the ground usually. I think later in the game, maybe because he was getting tired, it was deep fly balls hit into center field. But other than that he pretty much kept the ball on the ground.”
On Braves striking out in order in ninth despite Nats not using closer Soriano
“Well, I know you can call it a closer by committee, but it’s a pretty good committee. Clippard has done it (closed) in the past. Storen pitches the eighth inning because they’ve got Soriano, but he could pitch the ninth inning for a lot of clubs in the big leagues.”
Tonight’s loss any better than some of the recent ones, more encouraging at all?
“Well, it’s better to get a W, but these guys are not giving up. They’re battling, they’re battling. Doumit gets a double there, we get some good at-bats, Freeman gets a base hit, we’ve got first and third with guys (coming to bat) who can hit a ball in the gap or hit the ball out of the ballpark. It’s just not happening for us right now.”
**JASON HEYWARD
“Tonight was a well-played baseball game on both sides, well-pitched, no error, no mistakes on defense for either team. Their pitcher was able to hold us to one less run. Them getting the extra run there with a groundout – it didn’t take a lot, but that’s the definition of a good game, and that’s the way it’s going to have to be down the stretch and in the playoffs.”
Feel better after getting Fister out of the game, facing their bullpen?
“Man, we felt good (against Fister) to be honest with you, as a group going up there to the plate. I feel like he was just missing barrels, and that’s kind of what he does. He moves his way around.
“I like Free’s matchup there with that lefty. Ramiro had a good at-bat, tough AB against a tough pitcher, off the bench. Free went up there and got a guy in. Then the right man at the plate (Justin Upton). They were kind of pitching around Justin a little bit, him trying to let him get himself out, and him wanting to come to them. He probably chased a pitch off the plate, but right people, right situations – again, they were one run better tonight.”
Is it frustrating?
“Is it frustrating? We lost, we didn’t win. So that’s where I’m going to leave that.”
Wild card still there if you can latch onto it
“I’ll say this, it’s my fifth year and every year I’ve been lucky to play for something coming down the stretch, and this year is no different. So tomorrow’s another game. We have something to still play for, and that’s the way we look at it.”
On Fister
“I felt better today against him than I have before. He still makes good pitches every night. That’s the only way a non-velo guy is going to come out there and have success. I just missed that one to right-center. Justin just missed getting that one out of here to right-center. And it’s a different ballgame obviously if those go, but that’s the nature of it, and that’s the kind of pitcher he is. He’s just going to miss the barrel (of the bat).”
**MIKE MINOR
On pitcher’s duel with Fister
“I feel like they snuck out one of those runs, in the first, on a couple of balls off the end of the bat. But it was good hitting on their part. And then later on I felt like I got behind a couple of guys and got out of some innings. The seventh inning started off bad.”
On Nats’ approach
“I think early on it was, ‘OK, this guy (Minor) is going to throw strikes. We’re just going to swing, we’re going to try to take it that way.’ Not that they were hitting the ball hard, but it was just enough to get it over there, to drop it in or whatever.”
Frustrated or feel more pressure because of the offense not scoring runs?
“Not really. For me I just try not to give up the long ball, especially when there’s guys on. I walked a couple of guys tonight and it was one of those situations where you don’t really want to give in, I just want to go after them and not give up the long ball.”
