(Busch Stadium) Following the St. Louis Cardinals win on Thursday afternoon, starter Jaime Garcia entered the clubhouse and stopped with a confused look upon his face. It wasn’t based on the game–he threw a scoreless 7.0 innings and allowed only two hits as the Cardinals beat Philadelphia 4-0. The pause was due to the music–an attempt to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

Get The Latest News!

Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.

MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals“Somebody picked it and they were playing like ‘fake’ Mexican music,” explained Garcia, who adjusted the selection. “I went up there and was like if you want play some, I’ll play the real stuff–the stuff that I like.”

For those who may have been unaware, today actually isn’t the Mexican equivalent to the United States celebrating the Fourth of July.

Article continues after sponsor message

“Cinco de Mayo–I don’t know if you guys know, but it’s not even that big of a deal in Mexico,” Garcia explained. “It’s like we won a battle, but our big days are September 16th and November 20th. Those are the big days.”

It’s been like that for Garcia ever since he’s been in the United States, whether it was in Texas or St. Louis. And he’s happy to celebrate his country regardless of it being a big holiday or not.

“I think it’s just more of–don’t get me wrong, I guess it’s more of an excuse for people in the States to drink margaritas and eat Mexican food,” he said. “But for me, there’s no special meaning behind Cinco de Mayo.”

Garcia improved to 2-2 on the season and lowered his afternoon earned run average to 1.61 at Busch Stadium. By contrast, it is 5.06 in evening games.

photo credit: Bill Greenblatt/UPI, Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

More like this:

May 5, 2023 - Edwardsville's Viva La Fiesta Brings Authentic Mexican Cuisine And Festive Celebrations On Cinco De Mayo

May 3, 2023 - This Weekend: Mac’s Downtown Hosting Cinco De Mayo, Derby Block Parties

Mar 12, 2024 - RiverBender Blog: Growing Into My Life and Just a Little Insecure About It

Mar 5, 2024 - Support For Duckworth Bill To Protect IVF Access Grows After Alabama Supreme Court Ruling

Mar 19, 2024 - Community Staple: King Air Conditioning & Heating Celebrates 50 Years in Family Business