Braves quotes from Chris Johnson, Alex Wood and Fredi Gonzalez after Tuesday’s 4-3 win against the Dodgers.
**ALEX WOOD
On adjustment he made since getting knocked around at Colorado in his last start
“Me and Roger (pitching coach Roger McDowell) sat down at the optional workout during the All-Star break and went over a few things. I moved back over to the first-base side (of the pitching rubber), and it just feels like the ball’s coming out of my hand a lot better. It feels like my action’s back. Still adjustments to be made, but it really makes me stay on the ball a lot better. Some of those walks I had was when I was coming off, but I think in the long run it’s going to pay off. It felt really good coming out of my hand tonight.”
Two solo homers early, but only one run rest of way
“Both those pitches to Turner and Puig, we wanted to go inside to those guys. Just caught a little too much plate. But other than that, I thought it was good.”
On getting out of jam in sixth inning, Fredi said he thought that was important for you
“Yeah. I felt pretty good. Briefly, when Roger and I talked, we talked about when I’ve been in the middle of the rubber and on the third-base side, I’m either throwing real good sinkers and change-ups, or I throw really bad ones, no grey area. Some of those double plays we got tonight were on sinkers and changeups, those kind of in-between pitches that you look to get those ground balls, not a swing-and-miss or a hit.
“Overall, I felt really good. If you want to see the definition of a baseball game, that’s definitely a good one to watch all the way around, from the defense to the offense, guys getting big hits, making some big plays in the field, and the bullpen shutting it down. Overall it was really good tonight.”
Fredi said you were already out on the on-deck circle in 7th, weren’t going to give him chance to pinch-hit for you
“Heck, the inning before I was already dressed (to hit) with like five hitters to go. I didn’t even go in the tunnel, I just threw my stuff on and went up in the on-deck circle for that last inning. I was really happy that he didn’t come over and say anything to me.”
On getting out of some trouble in several innings tonight
“It felt like last year. I’m hoping that as we keep going everything is going to iron itself out. Definitely a nice way to start the second half.”
**CHRIS JOHNSON
Nice way to end the day?
“Yeah, that was fun. It was a good all-around team win. Woody definitely showed us all something. Today he got hit around early, gave up some big (home run) balls. But solo shots, and he kept us in the ballgame.”
That’s two three-hit games for you in your past five starts
“Yeah, I made a couple of adjustments mechanically. I’ve spread out a little bit, been working with Seitz (hitting coach Kevin Seitzer) a little bit, spreading out, and kind of letting my hands work. It feels good.”
On taking first two games of series against a first-place Dodgers team
“Yeah, they’re a really good ballclub. We’re definitely proud of what we’ve done. Our goal was to win the series, especially at home. But we can’t settle on that, we’ve got to come out tomorrow and try to get the sweep.”
Got to like who you have pitching for you tomorrow in finale, Teheran at home
“Yeah, absolutely. Anytime Teheran’s on the mound, all of us are pretty confident. Especially the guys who’ve played with him the last couple of years. We know what he’s capable of, and how good he is. We know he’ll show it tomorrow.”
More on Wood
“He was good. He gave up a couple early, and you really find out what a pitcher’s about after a couple of early home runs. For him to stay in the game and really grind it out, and keep us in the lead, he did a phenomenal job.”
You said this week you needed to take advantage of what opportunities you get, tonight a case in point?
“I had fun tonight. No matter what happens, no matter what I say before the game or after the game, as soon as the game starts I’m the same person. I go out there, I try to get a hit every single at-bat, or try to help the team any way I can when I’m in the game.”
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On letting Alex Wood stay out there and fight through his outing
“You know what, he had a great sixth inning. I thought his stuff got better. And (Ryan) Lavarnway did a nice job today. He goes unnoticed behind the plate but he did a nice job getting Wood maneuvering through some of those tough innings. For me the sixth inning was the key. He got first and second, nobody out and he gets out of it. From that point on he deserved a spot to go out there in the seventh inning.”
On what Wood figured out as the game went on
“Him and (pitching coach) Roger (McDowell) were talking a lot. You may have to talk to Wood about that. I don’t know if it was pitch selection, I don’t know if it was arm angle or delivery. But they were doing a lot of communication between innings, trying to figure it out a little bit.”
On Chris Johnson’s 3-for-4 performance
“Yeah he knows that he comes in every single day against left-handers and some selected right-handers. He gets a chance today and he got three hits and drove in two. One was on a fielder’s choice. We did a nice job right out of the gate with some situational hitting. I think we get the two runs with groundballs, putting the ball in play. We were talking about how important putting the ball in play (is). And I think we did that and somewhat in the first inning there and got two runs.”
On hustle of Nick Markakis on base paths
“He’s thinking two right off the bat. He’s not thinking two halfway to first, he’s thinking two the whole way. (If the outfielder) picks it up clean, he stops. If he doesn’t he keeps going.”
On manufacturing runs in the first inning
“We get two guys on, move them over. They make an error. We get to second and third, Nick gets them over and in, and CJ gets them in on a groundball up the middle.”
On Jim Johnson continuing to lower his ERA and perform well
“You know what, that ERA stuff doesn’t worry me at all. He’s getting people out and today he got it pretty efficient.”
On Cameron Maybin’s defense in center field
“He’s solid. Fundamentally solid. He made a play, I think it was in the eighth inning, the ball in the left-center gap. He ran that ball (down) a long way. He was playing the other gap and he made a great play to catch up on that ball.”
On taking advantage of Dodgers’ mistakes this series
“Well we have, and sometimes you’ve got to get lucky or take advantage of those positions that the opponent does put you in. I thought we did a favor in the eighth inning when Jace (Peterson) misplays that ball from (Adrian) Gonzalez. It’s two outs, nobody on and now we got man on and face (Yasiel) Puig, (Scott) Van Slyke and that group of guys. (Luis) Avilan did a great job.”
On how it seems like every time the Braves get written off, they come right back and win some games
“You know what, there’s a lot of resilience in that group and want-to. They have fun playing the game and it’s good. It’s a good feeling.”
On Wood not breaking during tough outing tonight
“For, what – three, four innings, his stuff was marginal at best. But then, you’re right, he rises to the occasion. He competes. He never, he never even – I’ll tell you a quick story. I was going to let him hit in the seventh. I turn around to look for him and he’s already in the on-deck circle. He was never going to give me a chance to not even let him hit there. That’s the type of guy that he is. He wants the ball and he wants to be in those positions.”
