Braves quotes from Freddie Freeman, Chris Johnson, Julio Teheran and manager Fredi Gonzalez after Saturday’s 4-3 win over the A’s.
FREDDIE FREEMAN
On trying to sweep series
“We came out and swung the bats well, just like we did yesterday. And Julio (Teheran) does what he does. He gives us a chance to win every time he goes out. When you know he’s on the mound you try to relax and go out and get him some runs early and we had enough.
On Braves’ resiliency
“We know we are not out of this thing. We have 39 games (left) now and we’ve been swinging the bats well the last couple of games. Hopefully that’s a sign of more things to come. If we keep swinging the bats the way we are and pitching the way we are we are going to be there at the end.”
On having fun facing top pitchers
“Sonny Gray is something special. That curveball of his is not fun to face as a hitter. Julio was right there with him the whole game. We were able to get him some runs early and give him support and he was able to give us six strong innings.”
On Teheran
“You kind of expect that every time he goes out there it seems. Especially this year, he gives us six or seven innings every single time he goes out there with three runs or less. That is what he expects from himself. It’s almost like if he gives up a run it’s like ‘Whoa, they were able to hit him that time.’
On recent hot streak at plate
“Things are happening. You can tell with Chris (Johnson’s) first-inning at-bat. It kind of hit off the end and find a hole and give us a big second run against Sonny Gray. Things are starting to turn. We’ve got to keep grinding out at-bats.”
On changes made for Turn Back the Clock night
“My issue is when, I don’t mind using the uniform, I love the throw-back uniform, but when the atmosphere is taken out of the game. Fans are coming here to have an experience and there is nothing on the Jumbotron, no music is playing. I’m looking in the stands and people’s heads are down. It kind of takes the energy out of the stadium, especially when the best closer in the game comes in and there are not flames (on the scoreboard), nothing like that. It’s kind of a weird experience, a weird game. Luckily we were able to come out on top, though.”
CHRIS JOHNSON
On three hits
“I’m just trying to keep it simple and take what they give me when guys are in scoring position.”
On old-time jerseys
“They are nice. They are fun. I enjoy wearing those uniforms and paying tribute to the teams back in the day.”
On trying to sweep
“It’s not about trying to win series any more. We have to win them all. We have to win all the games. Coming in tomorrow, winning the first two means absolutely nothing.”
On Braves’ resiliency of late
“We are not going to give up. I think we know that. We are not going to just crumble with 39 games left. That’s a lot of baseball, definitely a lot of baseball. … It’s fun when people are going to count you out. I think we have a group of guys in here that feed off that a little bit. It’s been working. Hopefully we keep going.”
JULIO TEHERAN
On approach
“I was trying to be focused. I know we needed to win this one after losing my last three. It’s something I don’t want to get used to. I’m just trying to win and do my best to help my team.”
On being more pumped up
“Kind of. I was trying to put more of me. This late in the season, I’m trying to win some more games.”
On how he rates his performance
“I really wanted to throw scoreless. I got a little bit squeezed today but that is something that is part of the game. You don’t think about it. I was just trying to do my job.”
On recent pickoff success
“That is something where I know I have quick feet and sometimes when I feel like I don’t need it. But when I see that (the runner) is getting a big lead, I try to make my best move.”
FREDI GONZALEZ
On performance of Julio Teheran
“He did a hell of a job. Those guys over there, offensively, they don’t give any at-bats away. They battle you. At least the last couple of days. That’s why they do what they do. They grind out at-bats and the next thing you know your starter is in the sixth inning with over 100 pitches. Last night, it was the same thing. But (Teheran) did, he gave us a hell of a game. We were able to jump out early and get a couple of runs against one of the American League’s best starters. And we held on. Chris Johnson had a nice game, three hits and drove in two. Simba (Andrelton Simmons) had a nice RBI single and (Freeman) with an RBI double. There was some production. We kept the line moving today a couple of different times.”
On the Braves’ first-inning approach
“That was good for a team who hadn’t seen Sonny Gray. We had some good at-bats.”
On Josh Reddick’s long fly ball to lead off ninth
“On the bench you probably have the worst seat in the house. You can’t see where the ball is going, you are only seeing where the outfielder is and how he is reacting. If Justin keeps his back toward you, you go ‘Uh-oh.’ I started watching him turn around and get settled in a little bit. The inning before, Jason (Heyward) did the same and you saw him settle down and get underneath it and make a play.”
On Braves’ resiliency the past two games
“We are a pretty good club. The last three or four days we have been swinging the bats and getting some big outs, some two-out RBIs, moving the runners. And the pitching has been pretty darn good the whole season. It keeps you in the ball game. We won the series but we’d like to come out tomorrow and get a little greedy and Mike (Minor) gives us a good solid performance and we keep swinging the bats.”
On Chris Johnson
“It’s a guy who knows what is at stake. He doesn’t give at-bats away. We saw that last year when he came all the way in the last month of the season and finished second or third in the batting (race). He has a good approach and right now he is swinging it really, really well.”
On confidence gained from hitting backing up pitching
“It goes hand in hand. If your starting pitching leaves the ball game with the lead you can use different guys at the end of the game. You can use a different cast of characters when you are up than when you are not up. It goes hand in hand. It’s nice to pitch when you’ve got a lead.”
