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No help
Cox changes lineup, but Braves' bats fail to wake up
Posted: Monday October 25, 1999 01:19 AM
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves, who managed just two hits in the World Series opener, radically altered their lineup Sunday for Game 2 against the New York Yankees, benching Bret Boone, Eddie Perez and Walt Weiss.
It didn't help much. The new lineup - featuring Ozzie Guillen, Keith Lockhart and Greg Myers, all making their first starts of the postseason -- managed just five hits in a 7-2 loss, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the Series.
Three of those hits came in the ninth inning, leading to a couple of meaningless runs that ruined New York's shutout. Overall, the Braves are hitting .121 (7-of-58) in the series.
Boone seemed upset by his benching, while Perez said he understood the rationale even though he was MVP of the NL Championship Series.
"We stunk as hitters," Perez said during batting practice. "Why not try something different? It's a short series."
The Braves were shut down Saturday night by Orlando Hernandez, who allowed just one hit -- Chipper Jones' solo homer -- in seven innings while striking out 10. Atlanta's only other hit in a 4-1 loss was a ninth-inning single by Boone.
Game 2 starter David Cone also allowed one hit in seven innings. The Braves finally scored in the ninth against Ramiro Mendoza.
Manager Bobby Cox inserted Guillen at shortstop in place of Weiss and batting him second, Boone's normal spot in the order. Lockhart took over at second base for Boone and batted sixth against Cone, while Myers replaced Perez at catcher and batted seventh.
Andruw Jones, who had 26 homers and 84 RBIs during the regular season, was dropped from sixth to eighth in the order.
"We're just trying to score some runs right now," Cox said.
Guillen was 0-for-4 and made an error, Lockhart was 0-for-2 and Myers went 2-for-3, driving in the Braves' first run. Boone came on as a pinch hitter with two outs in the ninth and lined a run-scoring double.
Boone started out on the bench after playing 152 games during the regular season and batting .474 (8-for-19) during the NLCS. He has 13 strikeouts in 12 postseason games but an overall average of .326 (15-of-46).
"I don't make those decisions," he said. "I'm a player. Bobby is the boss."
The three newcomers to the Atlanta lineup came into the game with a total of just 14 postseason at-bats. But all three are ex-American Leaguers and more familiar with Cone than the players they replaced.
Before Sunday, Guillen was 14-of-37 (.378) in his career against Cone, with one homer and six RBIs. Myers was 2-of-13 (.154) with a homer and two RBIs while Lockhart was 1-for-6 (.167).
"I wasn't expecting (the changes)," said Perez, who hit .500 (10-of-20) with two homers and five RBIs in the NLCS. "But when I saw the lineup, it made sense."
Still, most of the Braves were stunned when they saw the lineup posted in the clubhouse.
"It's unusual for the World Series to change the lineup so dramatically," said outfielder Brian Jordan, who remained in the cleanup position but went 0-for-3. "But I guess Bob's trying to mix it up, make things happen."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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