Postgame comments from a happy clubhouse after Braves’ 9-3 win
DEREK LOWE
On how his elbow felt:
“There was never any issue, any pain. The game pretty much came down to one pitch in the first inning. We got three runs, and they come back and load the bases. It came down to the pitch to (Ryan) Doumit and I was able to make it and then we kept piling on. Probably not the road trip we were looking for but we salvaged one here in Pittsburgh and we get to go home.”
On feeling as comfortable as early in the season:
“Yeah I did. There was never any issue. And you couldn’t have asked for a better scenario as far as we were able to score a lot of runs and every pitch wasn’t life and death. (I think) we’d lost 12 of my 14 (it was actually 10 of 13.) Good to get a victory.”
On his success vs. Pirates, 10 wins in 10 starts:
“I have no idea. You can’t put your finger on it. Just like my next opponent Washington. I haven’t beat them in two years. So who knows? It’s just one of those things. I bet if you look back at it we score a lot of runs when I pitch.”
On going inside to Doumit:
“It was one of those situations where that was maybe a pitch you were trying to save for later but that was a crucial pitch, even though it was the first inning. Mac did a great job of calling it. I was able to make just one pitch in the first inning that got us back in the dugout.”
On the double to left center being the deepest ball the Braves hit in the series:
“Well, you know….I was hitting a whopping .110. I was telling guys kiddingly, you’ll love this: I’ve never hit a home run over the fence, ever, in my 37 years. The only homer I ever hit was like when little Johnny couldn’t catch the ball when there was no fence when you’re a Little Leaguer. I’ve never hit a ball over a fence at any level in my whole life. That was the closest I’ve ever come.”
On why he stopped at second:
“I was watching it….All kidding aside, you think I would have made it? There’s no way. I run like a deer on ice. I never would have made it.”
DERREK LEE
On the offensive outburst:
“We needed it. We haven’t been scoring runs so to put three on the board, especially with D Lowe’s first start back, I think it gave him some confidence out there on the mound.”
On seeing a familiar pitcher for the first time in four days:
“Seems like the last few days we faced some guys we don’t know. We know Zach Duke a little bit. We were able to get to him. It was good for our offense tonight.”
On ending a rough trip in a positive way:
“This was a must-win, really. We needed this one. We didn’t want to get swept here. So it was a pretty big game for us.”
BOBBY COX
On Lowe’s night:
“Derek Lowe had a nice game. He had six strong innings I thought. We had a good lead and I didn’t want to take any chances with him, just go ahead and get him out of the ballgame. He had a nice game and we gave him some breathing room right away, we got pretty significant lead going. We had a lot of guys hit the ball tonight. We didn’t hit anything out of the ballpark but we made contact. And we finally found some holes with men on. It was bound to change. Our luck had to change a little bit.”
On Lee’s night:
“He drilled some balls tonight really hard, he crushed one single, just crushed it. He’s getting on a lot of pitches right now, he’s starting to really come around.”
On Freeman’s defense:
“Freddie Freeman at first base, when he came in the ballgame, he made three great plays. (Myrtle Beach manager) Rocket Wheeler told me two years ago he was going to be a Gold Glover. I don’t think anybody believed him, but I think his statement is correct; he is going to be one.
On how much it helped to see a familiar pitcher again in Duke:
“A little bit. It’s hard. You ask all the old-timers. They had to face a new guy. They didn’t know what he threw or anything; it’s hard to get him.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
37 comments Add your comment
Biff Pocoroba
September 8th, 2010
11:28 pm
First!
elizabeth
September 8th, 2010
11:36 pm
Derek with only 1 R is hilarious. Deer on ice….
vankalen
September 8th, 2010
11:36 pm
15 mil is a fair price for an ace like Lowe
Phillies Suck
September 8th, 2010
11:38 pm
2nd!!!!
Phillies Suck
September 8th, 2010
11:38 pm
1 out of 3 against the worst team in baseball is still unacceptable…
vankalen
September 8th, 2010
11:40 pm
Please Bobby can you try this one out?
try Infante out in CF and throw Conrad in at 2nd. Or give Glaus a try at 3B, move Prado back to 2B, and Infante to CF. Glaus’s defense cant possible hurt the braves more than than Melky, Mclouth, and Ankiel’s “offense”
Phuch Da Philz
September 8th, 2010
11:46 pm
Glaus needs to get in there more often. Ankiel, not so much.
ATLgirl
September 8th, 2010
11:53 pm
“All kidding aside, you think I would have made it? There’s no way. I run like a deer on ice. I never would have made it.” DLowe
Hilarious. glad we were able to get a win. lets take this momentum home with us.
jj
September 8th, 2010
11:54 pm
Can someone please explain to me why the Braves traded Blanco?Was it because of his limitation(not a hr hitter) or was it because of Bobby’s limitation(not being able to coach small-ball)? Just asking…..
Like Alice, Jayson Werth Can Eat Me
September 9th, 2010
12:24 am
Agreed, jj. Blanco was a special player who deserved better.
Luke
September 9th, 2010
12:27 am
How about Rocket Wheeler for manager? I loved him in Rome.
Largo
September 9th, 2010
12:38 am
Blanco was by far the best bunter on the team and the ONLY one who could drag bunt successfully. He could steal some bases and was also a pretty good center fielder.
Bobbeeee's Cox
September 9th, 2010
4:00 am
McCann is a pretty good bunter.
Bobbeeee's Cox
September 9th, 2010
4:00 am
But ya, point well taken.
robdawg08
September 9th, 2010
8:09 am
So they don’t have scouting reports on new pitchers or rookie pitchers from AAA ? Bullcrap. Lame excuse for getting dominated by a rookie pitcher.
robdawg08
September 9th, 2010
8:12 am
Freeman should start at 1B period. His defense alone saved 3 runs last night.
Mutts
September 9th, 2010
8:13 am
Alright Mets, your most hated rival, the Phillies are coming into your house this weekend – stick it to them and shut up their cheese-steak breath fans.
robdawg08
September 9th, 2010
8:14 am
McCann buniting ? No thanks. McCann should be driving in runs hitting homers. Leave the bunting to fast guys like Ankiel,Infante,and Heyward.
Allen
September 9th, 2010
8:54 am
You know, if this comes down to one game, didn’t the Phillies get handed a win about a month back on a blown call? Anyone remember the details?
Troy Glaus's wheelchair
September 9th, 2010
9:01 am
the braves are turning into the hawks as far as the home/road records go
Fred
September 9th, 2010
9:09 am
Following up on comments about Mark Bradley’s editorial – why are the Braves hitters struggling with pitchers they have never faced? Isn’t that what scouts are for?? While Frank Wren deserves blame for the bad trades he has made (as the boss he is responsible after all), I am afraid it may be the Braves scouting which is letting the team down. Thoughts?
knarf
September 9th, 2010
9:13 am
Allen,
yeah, it was against the Marlins, in the 9th… ball hit by Sanchez landed fair just beyond third by almost a foot and the ump called it foul… would’ve easily scored Hanley from second. ugh.
and Like Alice,
really, Blanco was a “special player”?! Don’t get me wrong, he is good defensively and a decent contact hitter… But his career avg is only .249, he’s about to be 27, and has only played in one (nearly) full season (2008) in the bigs. I like him as a 4th OF (which we have a ton of), but would hardly call him special. it’s not like we traded Freeman. I still don’t mind the attempt to upgrade the team by trading him, even if it didn’t work out.
ArlingtonVABrave
September 9th, 2010
9:17 am
are you people serious with the gregor blanco = special player? that’s a joke, right? in what way was he “special”? because he can bunt?? I have nothing against Blanco, but the fact that Ankiel stinks does not turn gregor blanco, a 28 year old journeyman, a “special player.”
JonnyVenter'sLeftArm
September 9th, 2010
9:41 am
Well Rocket Wheeler might not be manager in MB much longer; Pelicans have not renewed contract with Braves and Pelicans are owned by the same group that bought the Rangers. I don’t see how they can remain a Braves affiliate.
Rolly
September 9th, 2010
10:17 am
“A little bit. It’s hard. You ask all the old-timers. They had to face a new guy. They didn’t know what he threw or anything; it’s hard to get him.”
Someone should write a book of Bobby Cox’ excuses for poor hitting. Of course, it would take a couple of generations of authors to write and the finished product would fill the Smithsonian.
Jesse Stone
September 9th, 2010
10:23 am
JV’s left arm- I would love to see the Braves High A team move down to Orlando into the Florida State League.
knarf- excellent post re;Blanco “special”
Lobosolo
September 9th, 2010
10:28 am
At the same time, Rolly, you could write one on hitting in the major leagues… It would only take one author and the finished product would only fill one post-it note… Nothing like speaking from experience…
Go Bravos!!! Sweep them Crads!
dlscholt
September 9th, 2010
10:41 am
Phillies fan here. The end of the season is coming down to exactly what it should. The six times we face each other will determine the division champ. Should be some great baseball coming up for both Braves and Phils fans. I’d like to wish y’all luck, but I just can’t.
stew
September 9th, 2010
11:07 am
Andruw was a special player. Everyone who has played CF since has not come close defensively or offensively. His last year he hit 26 homers and drove in 94 and batted .221. Does Melky’s numbers (4 hrs, 39 rbis) or Ankiel’s or McLouth’s or Blanco’s or Schafer’s come anywhere near Andruw’s worst season as a Brave.
Tater the Bobby Hater
September 9th, 2010
11:15 am
Andruw Jones never saw a low and away pitch that he didn’t swing at. He fell in love with the long ball and tried to pull everything. His last year was especially pathetic. Of course neither Bobby Cox, nor any of his coaching staff could change him. Why? Was it Andruw’s stupidity or the coaching staff’s ineptness?
Mutts
September 9th, 2010
12:16 pm
“Phillies fan here. The end of the season is coming down to exactly what it should. The six times we face each other will determine the division champ. Should be some great baseball coming up for both Braves and Phils fans. I’d like to wish y’all luck, but I just can’t.”
discholt: Nice post even if you can’t wish us luck. May the best team win. GO BRAVES!
bobby
September 9th, 2010
12:16 pm
Other teams don’t have problem the braves do with pitchers they have never seen, else you would have some pitchers with12-0 or so records.
Jo-Bu
September 9th, 2010
12:18 pm
McCann is a pretty good bunter.
I just wish that the Braves would put the bunt on whenever there’s an overshift to right field when Mac is at bat. I know they’re thinking of the long ball with McCann but that overshift seems to have worked for the opposing team more times than not this year.
Melky Way
September 9th, 2010
12:53 pm
Dear Phillies Fans, your team will fold before the Braves will,mark my word!
jayvee
September 9th, 2010
12:58 pm
Earth to Braves fans: Gregor Blanco is hitting about .230 since he went to the Royals, and about .130 so far for September.
The Braves need to get home and get some mojo. Lots of guys have been slumping at the same time, and it’s not going to last. So, be patient, all your fair weather fans. They’ll come around. They’ve got 22 games left, and 13 are at home. Braves are going to wind up with the best record in the NL. Just need Lee and McCann and Prado and Infante and Gonzo to swing like they can, and I think they will.
Choppinmama
September 9th, 2010
1:07 pm
bobby: so, you’ve watched ALL the other teams facing pitchers they’ve never seen, and have been able to come to that conclusion, huh? it’s comments like that that make you lose all credibility. criticize the team all you want, but stop with the blanket statements.
bobby
September 9th, 2010
1:30 pm
Not saying I have watched them all but using BC’s and the players reasoning, Why wouldn’t there be a bunch of undefeated pitchers?