The Braves extended their hold on the National League East to 2.5 games with Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Padres.
Sean Newcomb pitched six scoreless and Charlie Culberson’s fifth-inning homer proved the difference.
Here’s what the Braves said afterward:
Manager Brian Snitker
On Newcomb: “It was really good. How he doesn’t panic, stays pitch-to-pitch and goes to work. It’s really good. You do expect that out of him now.”
On lifting Newcomb in the sixth after a 25-minute rain delay: “We were looking at how long he’d been down, how long it’d been since he went. If we weren’t hitting, he’d probably have gone back out. But I didn’t know how long that inning was going to take. It didn’t feel right. He’d already had a good workload. He was into the 80s in his pitches. … I didn’t want him to lose that game.”
On Culberson: “Charlie’s been doing a great job. It’s big hit after big hit. Charlie’s a baseball player. He stays ready. It doesn’t matter the situation, he’s a guy you can go to. He could not play in a while but he stays prepared. He’s a total pro. We’re lucky to have him.”
Starter Sean Newcomb
On navigating trouble in the first: “It was a weak hit that turned into a double there, so I knew I had to buckle down and get the next three hitters. The approach was to attack them and hopefully strike them out. ... Just kept attacking and I was lucky to get out of it.”
On rebounding from a tough start: “It goes both ways. After you have a good one, you’ve got to be able to clear it. Look toward the next one and not worry about it or worry about what you did. Just go out and treat it as a new thing, whether you have a bad one or a good one.”
On Culberson: “Awesome. He’s plays a good left field. Been swinging the bat really well. Pretty clutch today, as he has been in the past. If he keeps it up that’d be huge.”
Left fielder Charlie Culberson
On his homer: “It was great. I guess today, one was all we needed. Toward the end of the game, I was out of the game but I was feeling it. I was excited, nervous, anxious. That was a fun game and the crowd got into it. That was fun.”
On Newcomb: “He’s done a great job. He’s fun to watch. He’s got a great presence on the mound, easy arm. He’s making a thing out there for himself. That’s what we want to see, that’s what he wants to see. And it’s fun to play behind him too.”
On regular playing time: “It’s timing. Getting a chance to play is great, and doing something with it is even better. Just the mindset, getting with (hitting coach Kevin) Seitzer, trying not to do to much. It’s worked out for me. I’m having fun but still trying to go out there and get better every day.”
