Freddy Garcia usually is better against the Angels than he was yesterday. Nevertheless, he did just enough to beat them 5-3, and to remind the Yankees the last spot in the rotation will be in good hands until Andy Pettitte’s return from a broken leg.
Garcia (4-2) allowed five hits and three runs (all earned) in his five innings of work for the win. Despite not having his best control — he walked five and threw just 54 of his 98 pitches for strikes — he found a way to leave with a slim 4-3 lead the Bombers not only held, but padded.
“They’ve got a great lineup. Sometimes you make a good pitch and they foul it off. I was fighting,’’ Garcia said. “It’s not like I had bad command. I gave up five walks, leadoff walks. I tried to hit the corner, but they don’t swing at bad pitches. They’re a pretty tough lineup.’’
Garcia allowed two runs in the taxing first inning, pitching around dangerous Mark Trumbo with men on second and third. Alberto Callaspo made him pay with a two-run single, and Garcia needed nearly 30 pitches and a seeming eternity to escape, finally getting Howie Kendrick to fly out to center.
“I have to think about my next pitch, think about what I’m doing. I can’t just throw it up there. I’m not throwing cheese like I was when I was [20],’’ Garcia said.
“Freddy’s been around the block. You could see he wasn’t going to let [Trumbo] beat him,’’ manager Joe Girardi said. “He was just missing with some of his pitches. He threw the ball pretty well, almost got out of that first inning without giving up a run, which would’ve been pretty tough to do considering the circumstances. He bounced back and had some good innings.’’
Bouncing back has been the theme of Garcia’s season. He lost his starting job after going 0-2 with a 12.51 ERA in his first four starts, only getting back into the injury-riddled rotation after Pettitte broke his leg. Garcia should hold down the fifth spot until Pettitte returns in about a month-and-a-half.
He wasn’t as good as he was July 7 at Fenway Park, when he held the Red Sox to a run and struck out a season-high five in 6 2/3 innings. Nevertheless, Garcia — now 16-3 with a 2.66 ERA all-time against the Angels — was good enough. His fastball touched 90 mph just twice, but it was enough to set up his array of offspeed pitches.
“When he was falling behind, he was just missing. Then he was able to get it on the plate and get guys out,’’ catcher Chris Stewart said. “I wouldn’t call it nibbling; that’s how he throws. He doesn’t really have the electric stuff, so he’s going to stay on the corners and stay out of the zone.’’