**FREDI GONZALEZ
On replays showing he was right on triple that should’ve been ground-rule double
“I don’t think I needed a replay to know that I was right, but coming in here for the rest of the game (and seeing the replays) it was confirmed. I thought the ball that Uggla hit, the home run, was a tougher call than that one.
“But we couldn’t get out of that inning. That was a big inning for us. You still would’ve rather had second and third than a runner on third and a run scored. But it’s neither here or there now.”
On Alex Wood
“For his second major league start, he did fine. It’s a good experience for him. He’ll go out five days from now and get another opportunity.”
On what Wood gave up
“He didn’t get hit that hard. He gave up some singles to a bunch of right-handed hitters that hit left-handers pretty good. Satin and Turner and that group of guys. But he did OK. It’s a little different pitching to major league hitters than it is to Triple-A guys, and remember, this guy was in Double-A two months ago. I think overall it was a good experience for him, now keep going and learn from it.”
On losing game late
“We were right there. We were down some runs and Uggla got us right back in it, tied the ballgame. That inning with the ground-rule double (ruled a triple) just got out of hand a little bit. We weren’t able to get back in it, but you always felt you were just another hitter away to bring up McCann to the plate there in the ninth inning.”
So, Wood will pitch again Tuesday?
“We’ll see how it goes. I think right now he’s scheduled to do that.”
**ALEX WOOD
On his performance, giving up a bunch of singles, etc.
“Kind of one of those days. I felt like things were just kind of falling for them. I felt like I repeated (delivery) well. My pitch count got a little high. They took me deep into some counts. Really the biggest thing, the biggest difference was that third inning. I kind of pride myself on, so far in my career, not giving up the big inning with the crooked number.
“I’m used to getting out of those situations, second and third. And to give up that hit to Buck, a big knock for him, probably one of the two pitches I wish I had back. The first-pitch slider to him and the other one to Byrd, the changeup away that he hit to left field.”
“But it’s one of those things where you can’t do anything about it now. I thought I competed well. I’ll build off this and go deeper next time.’
“Just one of those days where they put up the crooked number and singled me to death. Things were just falling there way today. I thought I made some good pitches, besides those two that I talked about earlier.”
Any improvement over his Triple-A start?
“I was throwing all three pitches for strikes today, which was different. I wasn’t throwing my breaking ball for strikes in my start at Gwinnett. So that was a plus. I worked real hard on that in my two ‘pens between that start and today.”
**DAN UGGLA
On the loss
“We came back. I thought Kameron threw well, they just found some holes and had some timely hitting right there. And we just weren’t able to put anything else together.”
On Alex Wood
“He battled. They got his pitch count up early, but he still battled and did a great job, I thought.”
**GERALD LAIRD
On Alex Wood
“He threw the ball fine. He just fell behind a few times, but I thought he made some pitches. Just got into trouble with some bloop hits. He made pitches and they just kind of found holes out there. The back-to-back innings where he kind of got in jams, it’s tough getting out of them two times in a row. They had some big hitters come up, and they had some big hitters find some holes.
“Marlon hit that bases-loaded changeup. Before that Murphy bloops one to right and kind of gets things going again. It’s frustrating, but I thought he threw the ball fine. He was just missing a little bit in with the fastballs in to righties. They stacked us pretty right-handed heavy, and to keep guys off that good changeup you’ve got to be able to throw fastballs inside. He kept barely missing with it and falling behind a little bit.”
On Wheeler
“He pitched OK. He’s got some things to work on, obviously with the off-speed stuff and getting ahead of hitters and keeping that pitch count down. But for the most part the stuff’s there, and you can see the explosive fastball that goes with the little slider and changeup. But he’s young. He’s going to be a good pitcher, no doubt, down the line.”
On Wood’s talent
“Oh, yeah, he’s got great talent and he’s got good movement on his pitches. He’s just kind of building, getting some consistent time up here. I think coming out of the bullpen is going to help him down the line. I think that’s good what they do with starters sometimes, put them in the bullpen and have them pitch in some big moments and learn how to use their pitches. But for the most part, what I see is, this kid’s got good stuff and now I know why they drafted him so high.”
On the triple that should’ve been a ground-rule double
“It’s just a matter of (the umpire) hustling and getting out there. I don’t think we would (argue) just to do it. It’s one of those things where it’s tough because it’s a black-iron fence, probably tough to see from where they’re at. Makes it tough. But you get some calls, you don’t get some calls. Unfortunately, they didn’t get that one right today.”
