Avi charged to full power after being unplugged
Previously homerless in 46 straight games, has hit four in last six
CHICAGO -- Hard work has paid dividends for Avisail Garcia, but not so much for White Sox opponents, as evidenced by his 830 feet of homers during an 8-2 victory over the Angels on Monday night at U.S. Cellular Field.
Garcia's third career multi-homer game pushed the White Sox to within 6 1/2 games of the Angels for the American League's second Wild Card. It also gave the 6-foot-4, 240-pound 24-year-old four homers in his last six games, after not going deep for 46 straight.
"I've been working really hard. And those guys help me a lot, the manager, [White Sox hitting coach Todd] Steverson," Garcia said. "I just try to come here and work hard, get better every day and play hard.
"I'm using my top hand more. I've been working on that. Today, I feel a little bit better. Like I said, I come here every day and try to get better and try to get my swing back."
Video: LAA@CWS: A. Garcia on his new approach, gets soaked
Adding Garcia's strength to the middle of the order gives the White Sox a fairly potent middle three with Jose Abreu and Melky Cabrera, who each had two hits and combined to score three runs against the Angels. Garcia still has work to do, especially on the inside fastball, but people often forget that 2015 marks Garcia's first full season in the Majors.
So he's a work in progress, and seems to be gradually developing during the season's latter stages.
"It's part of the maturation process for him. Sometimes we forget how young he is," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "You see the talent he has and the potential that's there when he hits something hard, it can leave either way. The one going the other way, it is a little more impressive because you see how much power he has, but that's part of maturity."
"Always good when we get the win," Garcia said. "I don't like losing. It's always fun when we get the win."