Will Garcia get pummeled too?
New York Yankees starting pitcher Freddy Garcia walks off the field following the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays . (July 15, 2011) Credit: AP
BOSTON — Freddy Garcia’s numbers are across-the-board impressive this season.
Except against the Red Sox.
The Yankees saw yesterday what that combination can mean for their best pitcher, CC Sabathia, and hope it’s not the case again tonight.
“I think he just has to locate better,’’ Joe Girardi said of Garcia. “I think he left some splits up against them and I think the bottom line is, keep the ball down.’’
Garcia brings a 10-7 record and 3.22 ERA into his start against Josh Beckett, but that includes going 0-2 with a 10.29 ERA in two previous starts against Boston. Both were at the Stadium. Neither was pretty.
Garcia allowed four earned runs in 51 / 3 innings of a 7-5 loss May 15 and allowed four runs in 12 / 3 innings in a 6-4 loss June 7.
“They’ve hit him this year,’’ Girardi said. “This is a lineup that can hit anyone. That’s the bottom line: They have an outstanding lineup. Freddy’s been pretty consistent for us and those were two of his starts that weren’t as good as some other ones. But I have a lot of confidence in what Freddy can do tomorrow.’’