Article published August 29, 2008
Garcia pitches well for Mud Hens in win
Hessman hits 2-out, 3-run homer in eighth to beat Columbus
Freddy Garcia, auditioning for the Tigers' rotation, gave up no runs on two hits in three innings last night for the Mud Hens.
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THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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BLADE STAFF
After Freddy Garcia's outing at Fifth Third Field last night, he said he feels he's ready to pitch in the major leagues again.
Garcia, a right-hander with nine years of major league experience, pitched well for the Mud Hens in his second game since coming back from shoulder surgery he had in 2007.
In the Hens' 4-3 win over Columbus, Garcia pitched three innings, allowing no runs on two hits and striking out four. He threw 32 pitches, 25 for strikes. Garcia was on a workload limit of either three
innings or 50 pitches, whatever came first.
"I pitched in Lakeland, and they wanted me to come here to face more experience," Garcia said. "I proved to them I can pitch right now."
The Tigers signed Garcia earlier this month to see if he could possibly pitch for them in September, with an eye on putting together their 2009 starting rotation.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland, hitting coach Lloyd McClendon, pitching coach Chuck Hernandez and third-base coach Gene Lamont watched Garcia from the Hens' press box.Garcia's fastball topped out at 88 mph. He threw mostly breaking pitches and changeups to the Clippers and had success fooling them.
"If I get hit, I get hit. But I know I'm throwing it right there [in the strike zone]," Garcia said. "If you throw right there then anything can happen. I know I'm not young anymore, I can't throw by anybody. I can throw the ball and make something happen."
Hens manager Larry Parrish said he was "very satisfied" with Garcia's outing.
"To me, you look at not so much the success, as the swings against him," Parrish said. "There weren't many good swings tonight against him.
Columbus second baseman Ray Olmedo chases after the throw as the Hens’ Clete Thomas steals a base in the second inning.
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THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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"He had good angle to his breaking ball, he was changing planes. I think he's still got a lot of confidence in himself."
Garcia won't pitch for the Hens again because they only have four games left this season and his schedule calls for an outing every five days.
He could be called up to Detroit when rosters expand Monday, go to instructional league in Lakeland, Fla., or ask for his release.
To earn the win, the Hens went ahead in the eighth inning on a two-out, three-run home run from Mike Hessman, his 34th of the year.
Toledo had managed just four hits before the eighth and trailed 3-1 heading into the inning. Hessman has homered in two straight games.
"He knocked the stuff out of that one," Parrish said. "We've been missing that over the last month."
The Hens' other Olympian besides Hessman, Blaine Neal, closed the game to earn his 26th save. Francis Beltran earned the victory in one inning of relief.
The Clippers took the lead in the fourth inning on back-to-back home runs by Alberto Gonzalez and Leonard Davis off Matt Rusch, who relieved Garcia.
Columbus added a run in the fifth on Gonzalez's RBI single.
NOTES: Parrish said pitcher Dontrelle Willis will not make his scheduled start tomorrow for the Hens. The left-hander left his start on Monday after one inning with forearm tightness. He threw a bullpen session yesterday and Parrish said he was feeling better, but won't pitch for the Hens again before their season ends Monday. ... Before the game right-hander Beltran was outrighted to Toledo and right-hander Casey Fien was assigned to Double-A Erie.
- Maureen Fulton
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