** FREDI GONZALEZ
Just one of those days that young pitchers are gonna have?
“Yeah, that third inning just kind of got out of our hands a little bit and they put up a big number, put up a five-spot. Freddy (Garcia) did a nice job saving our bullpen. We had Eovaldi a couple of times, where we could’ve flared one in there or something. But he was pretty darn good today, throwing 98 miles an hour all the way through the eighth inning.
“I thought we had some good at-bats at times. Simmons hit a triple and that might have been the softest ball he hit. He hit two other balls to left field that were hit harder and got nothing to show for it.”
More on Alex Wood’s rough outing
“Just that one inning (for Wood). Maybe experiencing that this time will help him next time.”
On teams adjusting to him seeing him a second and third time, making adjustments
“That’s what it’s all about. In the major leagues everybody’s got videos, everybody’s got scouts, everybody’s got all kinds of stuff. They’re going to make adjustments and you’re going to have to make adjustments. But I thought he just left some balls out over the plate….
“He may have to face them six or seven days down the road, so we need to make some adjustments there.”
On Freddy Garcia pitching so well in his debut here after getting knocked around in Triple-A start
“You know what, sometimes facing major league hitters – I wouldn’t say easier, but he did a nice job navigating through that lineup. Take a little off, put a little on, spin it … you could see the experience. He didn’t panic in certain situations, and he really saved our bullpen today. Good for him and good for us.”
**ALEX WOOD
On his performance, leaving balls over the plate
“It was just one of those days. It’s been a while since I got beat that bad. I actually can’t remember the last time I had a day like today. I mean, it’s hard to say that’s going to happen once in a blue moon, because I feel like I’m going to throw a shutout every time, that’s just how I am. But it’s just kind of how you bounce back. Just got to get back up on the horse and get ready to go for my next outing.”
One or two pitches not working today, what was difference?
“I was just kind of out of synch from the beginning. The single I gave up to Polanco on the breaking ball in the first inning, it was just a stupid pitch. That’s really just what he’s trying to do, just hook one over there into that gap on something soft. You have a game plan, and then you don’t follow it for some reason there, and then you’ve got a guy like Mathis hit the home run in the second inning on a 2-1 fastball, sinker away, when it’s hard into him all day. So it’s one of those things where it’s like, what are you doing? And it just starts from there. Obviously the big inning. I don’t think it was anything in particular, just kind of out of sorts today.”
More a matter of command or your second start against a team, that kind of thing?
“I don’t think it had anything to do with them getting a second look at me. It might have been the third time I’ve thrown against them. I don’t think that has anything to do with it. I’ve already thrown against a lot of teams more than once. Just kind of one of those days where I was out of synch and not really following my game plan, and they put good swings on the ball. You’ve got to give them credit, they beat me like a drum today. I’ve just got to bounce back, get back on the horse next time and throw well.”
Veterans same the game will humble you quickly, you have a day like this after 0.90 ERA in August
“No doubt. It’s a game of failure. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a good last month. I still feel really confident about my stuff and my abilities up here. I’m excited to get back to work tomorrow and get ready to go for my next outing.”
**ANDRELTON SIMMONS
On Marlins starter Eovaldi
“He was throwing really hard. Most of my at-bats, I saw balls on the corners. So if you’re throwing that hard and painting, you can’t do much (against him). He was making his pitches. He pitched with his fastball, for the most part. We squared up a couple of balls, but we didn’t have much luck. So we didn’t capitalize.”
On Wood
“They put up good at-bats against him. Some days you’re just not going to have it; I guess today was one of those days. They took some good pitches, too. They battled. They out-battled him today.”
**FREDDY GARCIA
Did you expect to pitch this soon, after coming from Triple-A this morning?
“Not really. But when I got here today they told me, be ready.”
Had to have been pleased with how it went for you
“I was. I got in the game and threw some innings. They bring me here to do this job, long reliever or whatever, start if they need me. I’m ready for anything.”
Is it different for a veteran like you facing big-league hitters instead of Triple-A hitters? I mean, you got knocked around in one start at Gwinnett, then pitched so well today.
“Yeah, down there they swing at everything, really. Everything you throw, they swing. You’ve got to go there with a plan. If you throw a first-pitch strike, they’ll hit it. Here in the big leagues, they take pitches, they let you do your thing.”
On saving the bullpen today, working 4-2/3 innings
“I’m happy about that.”
