**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Justin Upton’s performance in first game back in Arizona
“He’s a good player. Chris (Johnson) is a good player, too. We saw it all April from Justin. Coming in today he had some nice swings at some balls over the plate. Prado got three hits against us. It’s just one of those things, when people get traded for each other, something like that always seems to happen.”
On Mike Minor
“Minor did a nice job. Gives up a home run in the first inning and settles down. And we made some nice plays defensively – B.J. throwing a guy out at the plate in a close ballgame, and the relay from Simmons to cut down Cody Ross, and McCann throwing out a runner at second, when it’s a two-run game with Goldschmidt at the plate.”
On McCann
“Three home runs in four games. And we’re doing well with him, you know, play him two, give him a rest, play him two. Maybe coming off the day off Thursday, maybe go three and one (day off) with him and keep expanding his role a little bit.”
On B.J.’s shoulder
“He got hit with a pitch and just tightened up a little bit. We’ll see how it goes. We’ll call it day-to-day. Nothing serious, just a bruise.”
Did you have a feeling Justin Upton might break out tonight?
“He’s a good player. He’s played (six) years here and he’s comfortable with the surroundings. He can see the ball better here probably than anybody, because he’s played six years here. He’s comfortable. Good place for him to hit. Good place to hit (period).”
On Uggla
“He had a couple of good swings, couple of good at-bats. We swung the bats up and down the lineup like we’re capable of doing, and we haven’t seen that every often in the (young) season. Those guys are capable of doing that.”
On Upton’s homer after brother hit by pitch
“Well, I don’t know if he got extra mad or anything, but it was just a pitch out over the plate that he didn’t miss. It was a change-up, I think. It was up and over (the plate). He wasn’t missing anything tonight.”
**JUSTIN UPTON
On the win
“We’ve been fighting for wins on the whole road trip, and to come out here and put together some hits and get a win, that’s a nice feeling.”
On you long homer to CF
“I got into a hitter’s count and got a hold of it, tried to stay in the middle of the field.”
On the crowd reaction
“It was mixed. It is what it is, and I had fun with it.”
Any added motivation when B.J. got hit by pitch (before Justin’s homer)?
“No, just getting the leadoff man on base and then trying to extend an inning, that was all that was on my mind.”
On Chase Field
“It’s a great park to hit in. Good batter’s eye, you see the ball well. Obviously it’s a good place to see the ball and hit it.”
On first homer in 15 games
“I’ve been searching for that swing this month of May, so it was good to square one up.”
**CHRIS JOHNSON
On the hitting performances by him, J. Upton and others
“Yeah, we got a good, solid start from Mike, too. We played good defense behind him, scored some runs, and he took care of the rest.”
On his home run
“Guy on third base, less than two outs, I’m just trying to get something that I can get up in the air. The infield was in, maybe try to get it past the infield into the outfield and get a run it. I put a good swing on it and got it out of here.”
On J. Upton
“I think everybody in here is happy for Justin and the day that he had. It’s big to come in here and get that first win, because that’s a big step in winning the series.”
“Today was the Justin show. I’ve been struggling a little lately. I just wanted to try to get some good pitches to hit and get going a little bit.”
At all surprised by J. Upton’s first game back?
“No. He’s a really, really good player. So any night like this, is kind of what you expect for every night. So when he doesn’t do it, you’re like, ‘What happened?’ He’s a special player.”
“He was here for a long time. Any time you get traded, you want to come back to the place you got traded from and kind of show them what they’re missing a little bit, and I think that’s what was on his mind tonight.”
**MIKE MINOR
On his performance
“I think everything was the defense. The hitting, we had nice plays in the outfield, threw some guys out at the plate. Mac threw a runner out. I gave up a lot of hits, so it wasn’t really about me, it was about everybody else.”
On B.J.’s throw
“I feel like every one of those – Simba (Simmons) made play in the hole – was a pick-me-up, because I didn’t have my best stuff tonight.”
On importance of pitching deep in game and winning this one after the past three days’ debacle in San Francisco
“Yeah, just to kind of pick up the mood. It was kind of dragging a little bit, so the first game here was big. We had good production from the offense, and nice defensive plays. I feel like everybody contributed, and feels good about it.”
On the reaction from crowd when J. Upton introduced
“It was kind of mixed, but he showed them. He had a good night tonight and hopefully he keeps that going.”
On J.Upton’s performance
“I expect it every night from him. He’s just a good player.”
**B.J. UPTON
On his shoulder, play tomorrow?
“My guess is probably not. We’ll have to wait to see, I imagine overnight it’ll probably get a ltitle tighter. Can’t really rule it out (playing Tuesday), but probably not.”
Surprised your brother had four hits including a homer with all the hoopla and media attention?
“No, not at all. I know it wasn’t the No. 1 thing on his list. But knowing him, it was probably on the back of his mind. I have a feeling when he heard a couple of little boos, it was definitely kind of on his mind. But I didn’t say anything t o him. I just kind of let him go out and be himself, and that’s what you got.”
What were you thinking when Justin homered after you got hit by pitch?
“I really wasn’t thinking anything. I was still kind of in pain. I was just glad I didn’t have to turn on the jets and try to run. But yeah, man, he had a day. Played really well today.”
On coming back after losing three in a row at S.F.
“Great to bounce back. After that series we had, obviously a rough series that didn’t go the way we wanted to. But to come out here, against a team that’s been play well, and do what we did tonight, kind of set the tone for the series. Hopefully we can continue to do the same thing.”
**DAN UGGLA
On bouncing back after the three losses in San Francisco
“Oh, man, yeah we needed that. Mikey (Minor) picked us up, man. And it was good to finally swing the bats.”
On Justin Upton’s game
“Both him and Chris…. After all the stuff Justin went through before the trade. Seeing him come out and have the night he did – a homer, a double, four hits – that was awesome. Everybody was just ecstatic for him.”
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