LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Freddy Garcia's previously perfect spring came unraveled for a couple of innings Saturday against the Marlins.
The Braves veteran was charged with six hits, six runs and four walks in 2-2/3 innings of a split-squad game at Champion Stadium. He gave up four hits including a homer in the two-run second inning, then walked four in the third inning before Rob Brantley’s three-run double gave the Marlins a 6-2 lead and ended Garcia’s outing.
A Braves spokesman said Garcia left the ballpark immediately after exiting the game in order to catch a flight to Miami, where his wife was in labor.
The 37-year-old right-hander had pitched five perfect innings with five strikeouts in his previous two starts against the Tigers and Mets, but Garcia threw just 37 strikes in 71 pitches against the Marlins and was pulled four outs shy of his planned four-inning stint.
Garcia is competing for the fifth-starter spot with Alex Wood, who limited the Red Sox to two hits in three scoreless innings Friday at Fort Myers in the young left-hander’s second start. Wood has allowed five hits and no walks with four strikeouts in five scoreless innings this spring.
