MILWAUKEE — Braves quotes from Julio Teheran, Ryan Lavarnway and Fredi Gonzalez after Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the Brewers.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On Teheran’s performance
“I thought Julio pitched well. Both home runs he gave up were 2-0 pitches, and one was well-hit. The other two home runs that beat us … I didn’t think the ball that Gomez hit off Avilan was going to go out of the ballpark. It did. But I thought Julio pitched well. Got us an opportunity to win the game. Seven innings. It wasn’t easy; it was 100-plus (115) pitches. But he gave us a nice opportunity to win the ballgame.”
On Avilan’s season, look good for week or two, then a rough outing
“I thought he’s been pretty good now for more than a couple of weeks. You put him in situations where he’s going to be successful. He made two good pitches on those two left-handers that he faced to start off the eighth inning. Just bloop singles in front of our outfielders, and even then I thought we had a good chance to get out of the inning. Again, another three-run home run (on 3-1 count). All the home runs were in hitters’ counts.”
Did Teheran seem a little frustrated in first inning when he issued consecutive two-out walks?
“I think he battled his mechanics a little bit, his delivery. Just before the home run to straightaway center by Davis (in the fourth inning), you saw him take a step back on the rubber and try to compose himself. Then he threw one right over the middle of the plate. He battled his delivery the whole time, I thought, but again, he gave us seven innings and gave up (three) runs. Gave us a good chance to convert that.”
On Friers giving up four runs on two homers in fourth, but nothing more in six innings
“Almost the same type of outing, really, with him and Julio. We got him early, then got an opportunity to add one, man on third with one out (in the sixth) and he got out of that one. But we were able to get that extra run against (Will) Smith the following inning. Offensively, I thought we did a nice job.”
On his recent comment that it was on Julio to make some adjustments; are you satisfied with his progress in those areas?
“I said it was on the coaching staff and also he was going to participate, to try to get him back. And yes, I think there’s some progress there. It’s been nice. He’ll get a chance to throw another side (session) with Roger and try to tune him up a little bit and repeat that delivery, and the four days off for the All-Star break.”
On Vizcaino’s first two appearances since returning from PED suspension
“Vizcaino’s been good. I mean, we put him in some situations, and he did a nice job. The more you run him in those situations, the more confidence you have, and hopefully he can help us out in that bullpen in some crucial innings.”
**JULIO TEHERAN
On his performance
“I felt really good. Just trying to do what I did the last time at home, trying to break that streak on the road that I’ve been having. The team has been winning, and I just want to do the best I can to help us keep winning.”
On battling mechanics some today, especially in first inning
“I was trying not to put that in my mind. At the end I got that strikeout (to end the first inning). That’s a good sign. That’s when I started feeling better…. I made two mistakes (on home runs), I fell behind to two hitters, and you know how that works at this level, if you fall behind you’ve got to come throwing a strike.”
On reaction after consecutive one-out walks in first inning
“I got a little mad, because I don’t want to just keep doing what I’ve been doing. I’m just trying to compete and do what I’ve been doing at home, trying to attack the hitters. I think getting mad helped me a little bit. And Ryan (Lavarnway) did a good job, too, calling pitches and trying to keep me focused on the game.”
On having a pretty good road start before All-Star break
“It’s been rough, up and down in the first half. It’s nice to have a good one in the last start before the break.”
On lasting seven innings, 115 pitches
“That’s what you want to do, you want to get deep in the game. All the rest of the guys have been doing it, so I don’t want to fall behind. I want to do it, too.”
On improvement against left-handers recently
“I’ve been working really hard against left-handers, trying to (improve) there. If I’m going to miss, try to miss inside, don’t go in the middle like I was doing.”
**RYAN LAVARNWAY
On what he’s seen from Teheran lately
“He’s competing well. Ideally we’d like to throw more strikes early in the count, but he’s competing his butt off, and I think that’s what’s important.”
On Teheran settling down after the consecutive one-out walks in first
“Yeah, sometimes it takes a little kick in the pants for him to flip the switch and get angry and get real competitive, and he was able to do that before any real damage happened, and get out of a jam there.”
On the homer by Gomez off Avilan
“That was a good pitch that we made. Credit to him, he hit it. He’s one of their (big) guys. It’s a good series for us, two out of three. Winning the series, that’s what’s important. That’s always what we’re looking to do.”
On the two soft singles that started the inning
“Two bloop singles, that’s the way the game works sometimes.”
