ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves rode strong performances by their bats in Game 1 to a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros to start the 2021 World Series.
The lineup revealed on Wednesday for Game 2 mostly sticks to the formula, but there are some slight changes worth noting.
First, here's the lineup the team posted to Twitter just before 4:30 p.m.:
- 1. Eddie Rosario LF
- 2. Freddie Freeman 1B
- 3. Ozzie Albies 2B
- 4. Austin Riley 3B
- 5. Jorge Soler DH
- 6. Joc Pederson RF
- 7. Adam Duvall CF
- 8. Travis D'Arnaud C
- 9. Dansby Swanson SS
(Because these are American League games with Houston the home team for Games 1 and 2, the team uses a designated hitter instead of the pitcher hitting. Max Fried is the Braves' Game 2 starter.)
The major difference here is that Eddie Rosario is in the leadoff spot instead of Jorge Soler - that's likely because Astros Game 2 starter Jose Urquidy is right-handed and Rosario is a lefty batter. In Game 1, Soler - a right-handed batter - was placed atop the lineup to face lefty Framber Valdez.
Rosario has a tough act to follow, as Soler led off Game 1 with a home run, becoming the first player to hit a homer in the first plate appearance of a World Series.
But Rosario himself has made plenty of fireworks in the postseason - none bigger than his Game 6 three-run homer that lifted the Braves over the Dodgers and into the World Series.
The other differences in the Game 2 lineup are that Joc Pederson - also a lefty - has been elevated into the sixth spot, while Adam Duvall - a righty - has dropped to seventh. Travis D'Arnaud is down to eighth from seventh, also.
