Adrian not overly frustrated by 0-for-8 game
Adrian not overly frustrated by 0-for-8 game
However, Gonzalez was more frustrated by the result of the game than his day at the plate.
"The only thing hard about it was the fact we lost," Gonzalez said before Monday's game against the Royals.
Gonzalez is still pleased with how he feels at the plate and doesn't think Sunday was a sign he's about to slip back into the type of deep funk he experienced last week.
"The first at-bat, I felt like I had a good at-bat and swung through a backup cutter and struck out," Gonzalez said. "The next one, I kind of pulled off a little bit on a high fastball and hit into a double play. From there, we got into situations where the next at-bat, I felt I hit a ball good. I think that was the one where they brought in the lefty. I felt I hit a ball good, but the shortstop caught it. That one was up the middle. Normally it's a base hit up the middle. The shift got me there."
In the late innings, Gonzalez admits he was trying to put the team on his back.
"After that, we were in situations where I was trying to hit home runs and finish the game. It didn't happen," Gonzalez said.
In Gonzalez's final at-bat, he was completely baffled by the arsenal of Orioles' position player Chris Davis, who wound up being the winning pitcher. Gonzalez struck out on three pitches.
"That was different, because you've got a position player and you're expecting fastballs and he didn't throw me a fastball," Gonzalez said. "He threw me three offspeed pitches, or two two-seamers that cut, and then he threw me a split that was actually a pretty good split. You're not expecting anything like that."
"I think he's fine," manager Bobby Valentine said of Gonzalez. "Maybe a little anxious yesterday. Really just trying to do it all himself."
Gonzalez actually told Valentine he could pitch, but Darnell McDonald, who was already in the designated hitter slot, got the call for the top of the 17th.
"Yeah, I was trying to help out the team," Gonzalez said. "If I can't help out hitting, maybe I could help the team pitching. It's not that I want to pitch, but it's one of those things -- somebody had to. It's one of those things. It's always tough for a position player to pitch. You don't want to see anybody get hurt. It's one of those things were you try to do it for your teammates. Everyone is in a no-win situation at that point."
Gonzalez batted fifth on Monday night, marking the first time this season he didn't hit third or fourth.
"Well, they have the three left-handers in the bullpen," Valentine said. "When they use their bullpen up, we can't make it easier on them."