Orioles manager Buck Showalter probably wasn’t too concerned with Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia when he brought in left-hander Zach Britton to pitch the top of the ninth inning on Monday.
More likely Showalter was countering lefty hitters A.J. Pierzynski and Jace Peterson, who were bracketing Garcia in the order. But it was Garcia who smacked Britton’s pitch over the right field wall to put the Braves up 1-0.
Garcia had just six at-bats in the big leagues before Monday and there wasn’t much in his minor league profile to suggest he’s a power hitter. But Garcia has two home runs a double—all to right field—in three games played since the Braves called him up from Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday.
“We’ve seen it now twice where it’s right-center power with some juice,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “It’s a short, quick bat.”
Garcia hit a total of 55 home runs over his final three seasons in the top league in Cuba but hadn’t shown that kind of power since leaving the country. In three years in the Yankees’ minor-league system he hit a total of 18 home runs and 48 doubles.
Garcia was hitting .284 and slugging .369 with Gwinnett when the Braves promoted him in the wake of trading Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson to the Mets. Gonzalez said Garcia came highly recommended by Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker.
“(Snitker) is saying: ‘Hey, give this guy a chance. He’s played well. He’s got a good head on his shoulders’,” Gonzalez said. “So you bring him up and give him an opportunity.”
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