Quotes compiled by Michael Cunningham and Matthew Bain
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On what stood out from the game
“The way we kept battling offensively. We did a lot of good things. (Daniel) Castro, obviously the three big hits. The RBI by Eury Perez. Fundamentally we did a lot of good things, situational hitting. But Castro, even the last play of the game, here’s a kid backhand, men in scoring position, no panic to him. Nice throw to first base and the game is over. I think Wis (Matt Wisler) battled himself a little bit the whole game. But you like to see that. He had a chance to win the game and we just couldn’t get it done there in the eighth inning. (Matt) Marksberry, this kid started like four months ago in ‘A’ ball and here is pitching major league games in leverage sitiations and he’s doing one heck of a job.”
On Perez getting a lot of big hits
“He sure does. He puts the ball in play. Things like that happen when you put the ball in play. Good for him, good for us. He can do a lot of good things to help a major league team win a game, whether he comes off the bench and gets you a steal, plays great defense, makes a throw to get people out at the plate.”
On Nick Markakis and A.J. Pierzynski continuing their hit streaks
“They give you professional at-bats every single time they go out there. Good for us.”
On why Adonis Garcia is hitting so well
“This guy has got an opportunity to play in the big leagues. He hasn’t gotten one in a couple years and all of a sudden we get him really, really late in spring training. He’s solid. I think he’s got more home runs in the big leagues than he does in Triple-A. And they are big home runs they seem like all the time. His swing really works. He gives you nice defense. He made a nice play on a double play we couldn’t turn there in the eighth inning. He’s a solid, solid baseball player.”
On if he thought Eury Perez could do this coming out of spring training
“Coming out of spring training you think I had Castro, Garcia, (Jace) Peterson, (Joey) Terdoslavich, Perez? It’s a land of opportunity. We came out of spring training we had a nice baseball team. We had to do some stuff for our future of this organization. We got some pieces to battle and give you a chance to win every night. They’ve gotten some opportunities, whether it’s pitching out of the bullpen, out of the rotation, or come in and get in the lineup. It’s a good thing.”
**MATT WISLER
On his outing
“I think today was a big offensive day for us. I didn’t throw as well as I probably should have. The guys picked me up because, again, a lot of the credit goes to the offense today. They picked us up every time we gave up the lead. Every time I gave up the lead they’re right back there giving me the lead again, so pretty much all the credit goes to those guys.”
On if the rain had any effect
“No, the rain didn’t affect me. I just didn’t execute the way I probably should have.”
On if the struggles tonight were similar to his struggles in Philadelphia
“Yeah, I need to start slowing it down when I get guys on base. I think I was rushing a little bit, letting the game speed up on me. I need to go back there and work to settle down when guys are on base and make sure I’m executing my pitches.”
On how nice it is to see guys like Perez, Garcia and Castro perform well
“The offense, they’ve been great for me every start that I’ve had. So to see guys keep doing that, the young guys. Castro had another big game for us, so the offense has been great for me especially, so we’ve been picking it up.”
On if he saw this kind of potential from Garcia and Castro in Triple-A Gwinnett
“Garcia and Castro have both been swinging it. I didn’t see Castro too much down in in Triple-A, but I know he’s got a good swing. He’s got a good swing. He’s a contact guy. Puts the ball in play, makes things happen. And then Garcia came out of the year hot, this year he’ swinging with some power. He’s got some opposite-field power. He’s getting his opportunity and he’s taking advantage of it.”
**A.J. PIERZYNSKI
On Wisler’s performance
“… (He was) out there fighting himself a little bit, I think if you ask him he’d tell you that. He’s always been a strike thrower, and he was behind in the count every time tonight. But he fought and kept us in the game and he had a chance to win the game. He’s young. He’ll continue to get better, continue to work with him and stay positive and try to get his confidence back to where it was.”
On how encouraging it was to see offense battle back over and over
“We gave up the runs to get it to 5-5, and then we come back and score three. And then we give it up again and find a way to score another run to get the win. It was a good sign offensively. Obviously defensively it was frustrating because we gave up the runs, but we fought and did it right and we fought the fight.”
On Garcia’s performance
“Everyone’s been doing their job. It’s fun to watch. We keep calling up these guys that a lot of people don’t know and they keep doing their job and keep doing it well. And Garcia, Perez, all the guys. We keep sticking them in spots and they keep performing, and that’s what you’re looking for. Even Castro.”
