Braves quotes after Sunday’s thrilling 10-9 comeback win against the Marlins that featured a six-run ninth inning capped by Dansby Swanson’s two-run, two-out walk-off single.
**DANSBY SWANSON
On wanting to be up in those situations with game on the line
“Who doesn’t? Those situations are kind of like what this game is meant to be played for. I honestly credit a lot of the ability to relax in those kind of situations to basketball in high school, because you’re constantly in those situations in environments that are tough to handle. I kind of credit a lot of the abilty to relax in those situations due to that. Every time I can get in those situations I’m obviously happy to do so, but we wouldn’t have been in that situation if the whole team didn’t pick each other up that whole inning. I mean, just look at Flash’s (Flaherty) walk to start and get things going, and then just at-bat by at-bat, just piece things together.”
“I do enjoy those situations. Who doesn’t? If the game’s going to be on the line I’d like to be up there, and I feel like everybody else in the dugout feels the same way with themselves. It just shows a lot about who we are and what we take pride in.”
Freddie Freeman thought when Tyler Flowers drew the ninth-inning walk that you guys could win
“Oh yeah, we said if he walks Flow right here, we’re going to win this game. Just kind of shows the pedigree and belief in this team, that we have that much belief in each other. It’s fun to be a part of, and when you have everybody bought into play like that, it’s truly amazing what can happen.”
On momentum before going to Philly and Boston
“I think it helps any time you can win a game and win a series and then move on. But tomorrow’s a new day. We’re going to take the successes of today and bring them tomorrow and leave the failures behind and just prepare like we always do and come back ready to play again.”
When Tayron Guerrero is throwing 98 mph and has two strikes on you, what’s mindset?
“Put the barrel on it. That’s kind of what it is every at-bat. We try not to change your plan based on the situation and everything. Just do what you do and do it better than they do.”
On team establishing an identity with comeback wins
“We also did it a lot last year. We’re a team you can never count out, we always continue to fight no matter how much we’re down, no matter how much we’re up. We put together good, professional at-bats, and you see it kind of leak over into everybody else. You talk about hitting’s contagious, well that same battling and competitiveness is contagious too.
“I’m just really proud to be a part of a team like that.”
**FREDDIE FREEMAN
On the wild comeback win
“There’s not many words I can say. That was probably one of the most exciting games I’ve every played in or been a part of and watched. What these guys have been doing, just grinding at-bats no matter what the score is, that was pretty incredible to watch.”
On happy flight and momentum now headed to Philly
“It’s a happy flight for sure. Probably the happiest we’ve had in a long time. Obviously this is going to be a big road trip for us, but the way we’ve been playing baseball, I feel good about where we’re at. These young guys just keep coming on and making things exciting.”
Nice to pull off a comeback win like that at home?
“It’s just nice to get it anywhere, I don’t care. Obviously we haven’t played at home as we have on the road. To give the fans that kind of excitement today, made it all worth it.”
On Dansby getting the walk-off hit
“No one else you want in that situation. Feels like he’s made for that situation. We got everything to him and he came through. It’s just unbelievable at-bats all the way through that whole inning. Kurt coming off (the bench) pinch-hitting, probably the hardest thing to do in baseball, especially against a guy throwing 100 (mph). It’s incredible what he’s doing. And all the big walks – I don’t think we had an extra-base hit in that inning. Just had to keep the line moving and that’s what we’re doing.”
Did the six-run ninth inning without homers like you might’ve had to have to pull off such a win in the past
“It’s a lot harder to do (without a homer). I think we had, what, 10 guys come up to the plate that inning. I think (trailing 9-4), a couple of years ago I don’t think anybody could picture us coming back. I think everybody in that dugout, we still had that thought that we can come back, we have the team to do it. And we did it tonight.”
When in the inning did you think you could pull it off and win?
“When Tyler walked and Kurt was coming up. Snit and all the coaches and I were kind of looking at each other like, this could be it right here. I called a walk and a homer from Kurt, but he only hit a single.” (laughs)
On having confidence in those situations compared to years past
“It’s huge. We have guys that grind at-bats, it doesn’t matter what the score it. When you have those kind of guys – I think the big one was Ryan (Flaherty), it’s (9-4 score) and he’s leading off an inning and goes up there and – anybody can lead off an inning and just go up there and swing at the first pitch – and he works a walk. If you get one guy on it makes you feel like you can get another guy on, and that’s the veteran guys and the young guys just coming through. It’s a complete team that we have right now and it’s fun to be a part of.”
**NICK MARKAKIS
On the ninth-inning rally and win
“It’s a big win for us. We got down early and that’s why we play all nine innings. We battled back there at the end, everybody had great at-bats and we pulled off a pretty good win (before) the road trip.”
Did you have confidence when rally started in ninth that you could do this again?
“We always have confidence in each other. We know what kind of ballclub we have. It was an exciting win today. That last inning we had great at-bats, and that’s what it takes. Put this behind us and we’ve got a tough road trip ahead of us, we know that.”
Did it without a big homer or even an extra-base hit in the ninth inning
“Yeah, great at-bats. Don’t try to do too much, just put the ball in play and let everything play out itself.”
Seeing Dansby get the walk-off hit
“That’s big. We know what type of player he is. He has great at-bats. He’s made a lot of strides between this year and last year. He was big for us, he came up with a big hit right there.”
Does personality of this team allow you guys to do this?
“We have fun as a team, and we’re good. We’re good and we have fun and that leads to good things. Today was a team win, not just one person doing it but everybody, and it was awesome.”
** BRIAN SNITKER
On the win and ninth-inning rally
“They grinded and grinded until the last out. I almost expect them to do it. That’s why, down six in the bottom of the fifth, I felt good. I mean, I really did. I thought, these guys have a lot of time to go to work here. Then you get a little bit farther away. But like I say, they never stop. It’s a great win for these guys.”
Did you still feel good about it down five in the ninth?
“Obviously it doesn’t look good. (Laughs.) But it’s kind of, Flash (Ryan Flaherty) got the walk, which is huge in a pinch-hit (situation). Not expanding your strike zone, being patient. He hadn’t been up there in a while, but it was just a very pro at-bat to get things going….
“I told Walt when Dansby went up there, I said, you know what, that guy is built for this. It’s what he’s made for is that kind of stage like that. But it was just everybody – Nick, Freddie, everybody. They were just grinding, not trying to do too much, just taking what was given them and just kept the line moving.”
On Swanson fouling off a couple of 98 mph fastballs before his hit
“Tough pitches. That’s not an easy at-bat right there. We saw (Gurrero) in Miami and he’s 98 to 100 (mph), and when you’re throwing all over the place it’s hard. That was a great at-bat under those circumstances.”
On Swanson coming back from being 0-for-4 previously including strikeout to start the ninth
“They all separate things and take each at-bat in its own little separate entity. I guarantee you, his focus and determination was great when he walked up there in the ninth.”
Did this remind you of the seven-run ninth inning to beat Cincinnati eight years ago, the Brooks Conrad walk-off grand slam game?
“You know what, it’s right there with that one. That’s a great comparison right there. I remember we went on the road right after that. I’d forgot about that one, but that’s right there with that. That’s exactly what it does remind me of, now that I think about it.”
On Dansby getting walk-off hit in his second game back from the DL
“He had a big RBI last night (Saturday) to give us the go-ahead run, too. So he’s made an immediate impact since coming back, that’s for sure.”
On team’s penchant for comeback wins, last year and this season
“You see the way they run the bases, Freddie beating out – he’d have probably been safe (on the infield hit in the ninth) even if (the pitcher) had caught the ball. Just that determination and hustle and just willing yourself to win. I made mention of him in Miami the other day, scoring on a pop-up to short from first. I mentioned that to the team. That’s the kind of determination that we need to have and it’s the kind of determination that this club has every day. I mean, they play it the right way, and hard.”
How’s Ender Inciarte after crashing into the fence?
“I think he’s just sore. I mean, he did a face-plant into that thing. I think it’s sore, I don’t think he gigged anything, it’s just body soreness because he hit that wall really hard. It’s good to get him out of there (after sixth inning) and not push it anymore.”
“After the shock wore off, probably, he got sore. I was talking to him in the on-deck circle (sixth inning) and said if we can get you through this at-bat, then wanted to get him out of there.”
Do you think he’ll play Monday?
“Yeah, I would think he’d be fine tomorrow. It’s good we played a day game, he’ll have all evening and then all day tomorrow, and he should be fine.”
