Braves quotes after Saturday’s win

BOBBY COX

On Hanson:

“Really good ballgame for Tommy. I think he had 21 out of 29 first-pitch strikes today, and that’s huge for him. I think that’s the key to pitching to begin with. His breaking stuff was outstanding, and he was around the plate, although he hit two guys. He had his overpowering stuff today.”

“The sixth inning, he really bore down and got out of it with the strikeouts. And Moylan came in with two outs, with runners on, and got a tough strikeout against the guy who led the league in hitting last year.” [Hanley Ramirez]

“And Saito and Billy are amazing.”

On the big hits in the four-run inning:

“Infante, and Blanco keeps helping us win games.”

Anything in particular for Tommy was big difference? “Strike one.”

GREGOR BLANCO

On getting big hit in the four-run inning

“Felt great. We’re doing pretty good. As a team, we’re doing everything we can to support each other, and it was my time in that situation. I did the right thing to put the team ahead.”

On Omar Infante

“Wow. I’m his biggest fan. Omar is my hero. He’s unbelievable. For him and Martin, that’s why I’m playing like that. Those guys, Martin especially last year, he was a [backup] infielder and he was doing all the little things every time he played. I’m trying to do that. I know what it takes and what I have to do now, and I’m doing it.”

TOMMY HANSON

“It felt great. I felt good with all my pitches, and we got the win.

“It’s a good way to bounce back after those last two I had. Everything felt real good.”

Did you doubt yourself at all after those last two?

“I had a talk with quite a few of the older guys, and even Kris [Medlen] and Roger [McDowell]. I think I got away from trusting my stuff a little bit and was going out there trying to make a perfect pitch, when I needed to just stay aggressive and do what I did today.”

“I think that’s the biggest thing I can take away from those two bad outings, is to just trust my stuff and always stay aggressive.”

Did you feel stronger as game went on?

“I think maybe a little bit of the adrenaline started going. I knew I was throwing the ball well, and I was having fun. So I just kept trying to do what I was doing. I think so, as the game went on I started striking a couple of more  guys out and things started feeling a lot better.”

On Braves’ four-run third inning:

“Any time you get that, it helps a lot. It was definitely a relief to see that.”

Bobby saying throwing first-pitch strikes was the key

“I think so. Getting ahead of guys, I felt like I could stay with my fastball or go to one of my breaking balls, or even a couple of times some change-ups. It just gave me a lot more options today, getting ahead of those guys.”

Able to come up with strikeouts when you had to

“I just tried to keep making my pitches. It was bases loaded, one out, and you kind of want to go into damage control right there and just worry about one out at a time. It just so worked out that I got the two strikeouts right there. It was an awesome feeling coming off the mound after getting those two punchouts.”

More on getting stronger as got deeper in game

“Everything felt good for the most part today, and then once I got out there it felt like it just kept getting better. My command kept getting better and everything kept coming out of my hand a lot better.

“I definitely felt a lot better and a lot stronger and more confident in the later innings.”

Are your hit batters a flukey thing? (Hanson leads NL with 10)

“I don’t know. The one against Ross, it just slipped out of my hand. I was trying to go fastball inside. I felt it slip out of my hand. And then the curveball I was just trying to overthrow it. It’s not like I’m out there trying to hit guys or anything like that. It just so happened that a couple of times it would slip out of my hand. Just kind of one of those deals.”

On leaving field to standing ovation

“That was good, especially after those last two starts. It’s good to get back on this side and throw the ball well. Definitely a good feeling.”

On mechanical adjustment he made since last start

“Roger pulled me in the video room the other day and just showed me last year how much I was on top of the ball, compared to my last couple of starts. I think it was just – as a reminder to myself I would always think, before my leg goes home, to get my [pitching] hand out [of glove and behind body]. That always lets me get [the hand] back and get on top, so I can go down. I think those last couple of starts, I was dragging a little bit and not quite getting all the way up [with the hand above head]. I was down just a little bit and everything was going this way [flat].”

That helped your slider?

“It helped my slider tremendously. Just getting my arm time to get up, back here, so I can work down.”

BRIAN McCANN

“He was getting ahead, kept the ball down, kept them off balance. When you fall behind hitters you become predictable when you throw 95 miles an hour. I think his command was way better today that it was the last couple of starts. That’s what we needed from him today.”

On the big inning, key hits:

“Man, Blanco, I can’t say enough about what he’s done. He’s brought a spark to our lineup. He’s playing great, making all the plays. He’s a tough at-bat. Infante got another big knock today, and that was the game. We scored four and our pitching shut ‘em down.”

“Today was a big outing for [Hanson]. Coming out today and doing what he did was big. He got big strikeouts when he needed to. That’s the Tommy we needed today.”

On Moylan’s strikeout of Hanley Ramirez:

“Pounded the ball in the zone against one of the best hitters in the game. Such a big spot in the game, right there.”

“I think today was a summary of our season so far: We had a big inning and we had great pitching. That’s what we’ve been doing all season long. Today was no different.”