**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Harang finishing his season with a win
“Tremendous. He’s been a pleasure to watch pitch every fifth day. He’s been a tremendous presence in the clubhouse. And for him to go out there and give us that outing was probably the icing on the cake.”
On the memorable night for the Uptons
“First time since 1900 (two brothers each with a homer and assist for same team, same game), that’s a feat right there. That’s something to talk to the kids and grandkids about, and who knows how long it’ll be before someone does it again. It maybe another couple of hundred years. That’s something special. That’s something you can say, hey, you witnessed it, you were here, or good for for those two guys to share that moment for the rest of their lives.”
And pretty significant home runs, too?
“Yeah, both put us ahead. It’s funny, B.J., I think he’s got more homers in September than anybody on the team (actually, each Upton now has three in September, most on the team). I know that the batting average is not where you want it to be, but I thought the home runs were good, especially of late. Justin, with a chance to get 29 or 30 home runs and over 100 RBIs, good season for him.”
On Simmons’ error, then game-ending catch
“It wasn’t that easy a play (on the error), when it hits off Kimbrel’s glove a little bit, I think. Probably changes the spin on it. But we knew we were up against it with Revere; he puts the ball in play. He’s not a strikeout guy. Luckily we had a guy positioned right where he should have been and Simmons made a diving play for that ball.”
These the kind of contributions you expected from the Uptons when you got them?
“Yeah, those guys are so talented. Both sides of the ball, they can hurt you offensively, make some nice plays defensively. They’re very athletic. But to do that what they did today was something special.”
You decide which reliever you’ll start Sunday?
“Yeah, we’re going to start (James) Russell. And have fun with it a little bit. I don’t know what he can give us. I told him give us two or three. He goes, ‘who knows? I’ll give you four or five. Can rest up all (winter).’ But we’ll see what happens. The Phillies had, what, four pitches combine for a no-hitter against us? Who knows, maybe we’ll go nine pitchers, one inning apiece, and throw a no-hitter.”
**B.J. UPTON
On him and his brother each homering and getting an assist tonight
“I don’t know, it’s a pretty cool thing. It’s pretty cool to say we did that.”
Good to do it at crucial moments as well?
“Yeah, we’re just trying to win ballgames, just try to finish strong. It was good that we were able to come through in that situation.”
And the outfield assists were pretty critical as well?
“Yeah, definitely. Any time you can prevent runs from scoring, it’s definitely big. Harang pitched his tail off tonight. He’s been there all year for us. He went over 200 innings tonight. That definitely goes a long way. Like I said, he’s done that for us all year. We were able to play some good defense tonight and get him some runs.”
Hitting a homer and throwing a guy out at plate, one better than the other for you?
“I would say throwing a guy out. I mean, you don’t get that opportunity much. Obviously every time you walk to the plate it’s a possibility (to hit a homer). Defensively you don’t get a chance to throw guys out that much, so probably the throw at the plate.”
**JUSTIN UPTON
Were you aware that had never been done before, the brothers each with homer and assist in same game for same team?
“After my home run somebody came up and asked if it had ever been done. I was like, I don’t know. I didn’t even think along those lines. We didn’t find out till after the game.”
On the homers and assists all being crucial in 4-2 win
“Yeah, any time you can play good defense and contribute at the plate it’s a good night. It helped us win, so it was nice.”
On helping Harang get a win to the season with a .500 record in a year when he’s pitched better than record indicates
“Yeah, there’s been so many times when he’s gone out there and battled for us and we couldn’t quite muster the runs to get him a win. He’s been great for us all year, had a great year, so it was nice for us to get him that last win.”
When one of you does something, does the other brother feed off of that?
“I think maybe early last season. But now we’re so used to playing together, it’s kind of second nature.”
**AARON HARANG
On finishing his strong bounce-back season with a win
“It’s nice to be able to finish up the year and go a whole year being healthy, and going out there and giving us an opportunity to win.”
How gratifying has this whole season been for year?
“It’s been really gratifying, to think back to the first day of spring training, I didn’t even have a job with anybody. To go to making 33 starts and 200 innings again, that’s a big accomplishment.”
On the Uptons tonight
“They were huge. Couple of big plays, couple of big at-bats. They were locked in.”
On what he did in spring before he got a job
“(His agent) said, ‘Let’s do what we can control right now, and if it’s not in your fate to have a job, then be sufficient with it, know that you prepared to have an opportunity, and when they do call be prepare to jump right in there and not be behind, not have to try to play catch-up.’ So that was nice. And I’ve got to give (Indians manager) Terry Francona a lot of credit, he was honest with me and said, ‘I’ll get you your innings’ (in spring training) and see what happens.’ Obviously it didn’t work out (with Cleveland) but things work out for a reason.”
On posting a career-best 3.57 ERA after 5.40 with Mariners and Mets in 2013
“I just had a rough year last year. It was really frustrating at times. But to be able to come back and have an opportunity this year, to be able to come out and make all my starts and give us an opportunity to win, like I said it’s gratifying. All the work I put in during the offseason and even during the season to make sure I was ready to go.”
