PHILADELPHIA — Braves quotes from Julio Teheran, Evan Gattis, Freddie Freeman and manager Fredi Gonzalez after Wednesday's 1-0 win against the Phillies.
**FREDI GONZALEZ
On the game and pitchers Teheran and Lee throwing complete games
“That’s just good old-fashioned hardball right there. Both pitchers pitched unbelievably well. I mean, we came out with a 1-nothing victory, but the (homer) we got just barely got over the fence. Cliff pitched an excellent ballgame. We had some chances to add on there in the eighth inning, and he buckled down. I mean, we didn’t get very good swings at him. So I’m glad we came out on the winning end of that.”
More on Teheran
“Julio was terrific. To navigate through a dominant hitting left-handed lineup, a good one. Even the last pitch he threw to Utley was a really good pitch. For his first career complete game, to make it a 1-nothing win against that lineup in this ballpark – you can’t ask for anything more.”
Was your heart in your throat when Utley comes up with a runner on in the ninth?
“You’re a fan, you’re a competitor, so you want the kid (Teheran) to do well and you want us to win. To tell you I was sitting back and watching the game and relaxed, I would be lying to you. In these games, your gut’s turning and wrenching, and you live on every pitch.”
Any doubts about bringing Teheran back for the ninth after throwing 99 pitches through eight?
“None whatsoever. His outing was so dominant that he deserved to go out there — even if it was a 1-nothing game — to go out there to finish it.”
On Gattis’ five homers in last three games here
“Five homers, and he had what, four hits today? And he’s catching really, really good baseball. I’m really pleased with what he’s doing. We’re asking a lot of him, we’re asking him to get here early every day and go through the gameplan, look at the night before’s game and get ready, keep learning. And we’re asking him to hit fifth in the lineup and produce. And he’s doing a terrific job.”
On Chris Johnson getting a couple of hits in his first game back after being benched for two games
“Three hits. Our bottom of the lineup did a nice job. I think Danny hit a ball hard, had a base hit and hit a ball hard to right-center that Ben Revere made a nice play on. And CJ, after a couple of days off, got his groove back. So that’s good to see.”
On Teheran pitching so well here and in Colorado in sub-freezing temps last year
“Well, he’s from Colombia, so maybe he likes to pitch in that cold weather.” (Laughter)
El Oso Blanco, the White Bear, held up well, too
“He’s a polar bear.”
**JULIO TEHERAN
On his performance
“I was just trying to throw strikes. All my pitches were working pretty good. I used all my pitches.”
On matching Cliff Lee zero for zero most of the night
“I didn’t pay attention to who I was facing. I was just concentrating on the hitters. That’s what I did the whole game, just concentrate on what I wanted to throw and throw it for a strike, don’t make a mistake.”
On Fredi sending him back out for ninth after 99 pitches through eight innings
“I wanted to go out there, I wanted my first career complete game. That’s when I got a little more focused, even if they got a base hit leading off, just concentrate on making pitches. That’s what I did the whole game.”
Cold weather didn’t bother you?
“No, that’s what I’ve been trying to focus on, when I’ve got cold weather try to focus on what I want to do and try to forget that I’m pitching in cold weather.”
What were you thinking when you feel behind 3-0 to Utley in ninth with runner on first
“I was just trying to make the best pitch, like I did the whole game with him. Try to get the two-seamer in the zone and try to get a ground ball. I didn’t try to strike him out.”
Best game of your career?
“I’ve had a couple of good ones, but this was a pretty good game.”
Cold here and in Colorado, where you allowed one run in seven innings in sub-freezing temps
“Yeah, I did a great job last year with the cold weather. That was my mindset in this game.”
**EVAN GATTIS
On why he likes hitting at Philly and has done so well at the ballpark
“It’s open. There’s nothing back there (around the center-field batter’s eye). It’s just wide open. So maybe I see it better here. Maybe not. I really don’t know.”
On Teheran holding up under pressure in a one-run game
“Sometimes you have guys that are rough early then are up 1-nothing and they get out there and it clicks. The lights are on and guys are trying to hit you, so you try to turn it on. But today it was from the get-go.”
On doing it tonight against a real good lefty, Cliff Lee
“I still think he’s the best lefty starter in the game.”
On Teheran, was that as crisp and good as you’ve seen him?
“Maybe command-wise. I thought he really commanded his pitches. We had a good idea of what we wanted to do. But life (on his pitches) wise, I’ve seen him (similar). He’s got electric stuff.”
Did he show you something in the ninth inning?
“Yes. He’s a competitor. That’s his makeup. That’s him. That’s him to the core. He’s fiery. He’s a competitor. He’s a winner.”
What were you looking for on the 0-2 pitch from Lee that you homered on?
“Can’t look for anything 0-2. I try to put the ball in play somewhere hard. They’ve got spots where they can put it. But no, (I’m) not looking anywhere particular. I saw he went front-door two-seam to Justin earlier. Maybe that was in the back of my mind, but you just go out there and compete.”
Did you know it was going out?
“No. I don’t know if you could tell, but I was running really, really fast…. I ran just in case maybe something happened. I was moving it – for me.”
More on Teheran
“It was just unbelievable. Crisp game. Really good game.”
“Old school National League game.”
**FREDDIE FREEMAN
On Teheran
“What he did tonight was something special. Gatty behind the plate was putting the right fingers down, picked us up, too, offensively.”
On Gattis at Citizens Bank Park (five homers in past three games)
“It’s crazy. I guess he likes Philadelphia a little bit. But you could tell last week that he was starting to get the hang of things. He’s going up through the middle, his swing path’s through the zone a long time. So it’s no surprise what he’s doing.”
