WASHINGTON – Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez made several pivotal decisions during Tuesday night's game against the Nationals, and he was asked afterward about decisions that didn't work out well during a 2-1 loss that dropped his team's record to 0-7. Gonzalez didn't dodge any of the questions.
— On removing starter Jhoulys Chacin for pinch-hitter Jace Peterson after Gordon Beckham’s two-out double in the seventh inning of a then-scoreless game. Chacin had thrown just 69 pitches in six innings. Peterson struck out to end the inning.
Gonzalez: "I told (bench coach Carlos Tosca) before it happened, the only way I'm pinch-hitting for Chacin here is if he gets in scoring position. I said we haven't won a game in a week, get one (run) here. And sure enough, double. You're forced to pinch-hit. (Chacin) was pitching some kind of baseball. I think it's one of those decisions that somewhere later on, if you've got a nice winning streak and you're rolling, you maybe let him hit there in that situation. But he was pitching really the best baseball I've seen so far this year…. Is that the situation you're talking about? Yeah, that's a tough call."
— On not using left-handed hitter Kelly Johnson to pinch-hit for Jeff Francoeur against right-handed reliever Shawn Kelly with bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning of a still-scoreless game. Francoeur grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Gonzalez: "I thought about it. Frenchy's been in the game, he's been swinging. He comes up with those big hits in those situations. The matchup is not one of those crazy (statistical matchups), one way or the other. And I kind of felt good about that (situation)."
— On bringing in left-hander Eric O’Flaherty (13.50 ERA) to face lefty hitter Bryce Harper with two on and two out in the eighth inning, instead of the Braves’ best reliever, Arodys Vizcaino. Did he think about using Vizcaino there?
Gonzalez: "No. (We're) thinking outside the box, creating stuff, thinking of all kinds of different scenarios. You hate to bring in anybody (with runners on) first and second, bases loaded, second and third, and those (types of) situations. Did I think about it? Of course, you're thinking about it all the time. We did it five days ago, but it was a clean inning. It was starting the eighth and he was facing the top of the order."
