Braves' Garcia aims to shut down surging Phillies (Jun 06, 2017)
ATLANTA -- Jaime Garcia, who faces the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night, has been scheduled for just three previous home starts for the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park, and one of those was rained out in the third inning.
The former St. Louis Cardinals left-hander worked a season-best eight innings against the Washington Nationals on May 21 and followed that up with two impressive starts on the Braves' recent road trip.
Garcia takes just a 2-3 record into his second start of the season against the Phillies, but his 3.18 ERA is the best mark in a Braves rotation that has mostly struggled otherwise.
"Just getting the ball over the plate, that's the big thing, and he's getting a lot of ground balls," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "He's been very effective."
Counting his hard-luck home loss to the Nationals, a victory at San Francisco and a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Garcia has given up just one earned run over 21 2/3 innings in his past three outings.
"That's what we need," Snitker said. "We need guys to just get on rolls and back up a good start with another good start and another good start like that. When you can do that as a team, you have the potential to get on a little run."
The Braves (24-31) certainly need a good start from Garcia after losing the series opener 11-4 to Philadelphia on Monday.
The Phillies (20-35) have scored 25 runs in a three-game winning streak that has followed a stretch in which they lost 25 times in the previous 31 games.
Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola, who will start against Garcia, has been consistent recently as well. It hasn't been the good kind of consistent the last two starts, though.
Nola (2-3, 5.06 ERA) worked a season-low three innings in a 10-2 loss at Miami last week. He is 0-3 with a 5.63 ERA in three starts since spending time on the disabled list due to a strained lower back.
Three of the four runs he allowed to the Marlins came in the first inning, including a homer by Marcel Ozuna. Nola ultimately was pulled because of a high pitch count.
"He's fine, (but) 73 pitches in three innings, too many pitches for me," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said afterward. "I didn't want him to get hurt and end up throwing 100 pitches in four innings."
Nola was 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts before going on the disabled list, and he allowed just one run over seven innings in a loss at Pittsburgh on May 21 in his return. He has given up nine runs over nine innings in his past two outings, though.
Nola, 23, has already made five starts in his career against the Braves, going 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA.
Garcia got a no-decision against the Phillies on April 22, allowing five hits and two over six innings. In 11 career outings against Philadelphia, he is 3-4 with a 2.84 ERA.
The Braves have a 5.49 ERA at SunTrust Park -- the worst for any team in the majors at their home field.
The Phillies hit three homers Monday against the Braves after smashing four at home against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. That came after Philadelphia hit three total homers in the previous six games.
"We've swung the bats well for three games now," Mackanin said. "Hitting is contagious. That's what I'm hoping for."
