Garcia Comes Up Huge

(Busch Stadium) With a tired bullpen and his team having lost four of their last five games, Jaime Garcia came up huge for the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night as he threw eight shutout innings and drove in the only run for a 1-o victory over Atlanta.

“That’s a good feeling,” said Garcia afterwards. “I think it’s been a long time–I don’t think I did it in high school. I’m sure I did it a bunch of times in Little League…but it’s been awhile.

“I guess that’s the only that could’ve been better, is if you hit a home run. Guys we talk about , that’s always your dream–hitting the home run, the only run to score and then you win the shutout. But it was good. That was a big ‘w’ and I’m excited about it.”

“He had probably two of the best at-bats of the night,” echoed Mike Matheny. ”

Garcia struck out 11 batters and was only at 89 pitches, which led to some consideration for him to head back out for the 9th inning.

“You know, could send him back out,” acknowledged Matheny. “Also kind of looking and watching, our level of concern right there in the 8th. Realizing that if such and such happens, probably going to have to get him some help.

“He goes clean, but at that point, realizing he’s at 90 pitches, we’re rolling over the lineup for the fourth time, and we have a closer that we believe can shut the door. We need the win. And so all of that pointed towards getting him out. But, it’s not an easy call. I know he wants the ball–I know he deserved the ball, just felt like we needed to go at it with our stopper.”

“Of course, 100%–but that’s not my job,” said Garcia of wanting to stay in the game. “My job is to make pitches until they take me out. But I wanted to stay there, bad. He made the decision to take me out, I respect that.”

The last time the starting pitcher was responsible for the only run in a St. Louis Cardinals win came on July 17, 1955 when Harvey Haddix accomplished the feat.

photo credit:  Bill Greenblatt/UPI