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Lineup overhaul a needed change for Bucs
- Updated: August 11, 2016
PITTSBURGH — Clint Hurdle waited for things to turn around. He avoided change for the sake of change. He evaluated and stayed patient through slumps.
But eventually, the Pirates manager decided enough was enough. Over the weekend, Hurdle began shaking up Pittsburgh’s lineup. The final piece fell into place Tuesday night, when Gregory Polanco was healthy enough to take over the cleanup spot in the Bucs’ 6-3 win over the Padres at PNC Park.
“I’ve given it enough time. It hasn’t played out,” Hurdle said. “We’re not getting the productivity I think we can get out of the personnel we have involved.”
So Josh Harrison became the new leadoff hitter, bumped up from the bottom of the order. Starling Marte found himself on the other side of Andrew McCutchen, switched from fourth to second. Matt Joyce kept the cleanup spot warm for Polanco. The third basemen, David Freese and Jung Ho Kang, hit fifth. John Jaso dropped from first to sixth, and Francisco Cervelli moved down to seventh.
The Pirates played 106 games before Hurdle rearranged the lineup. …
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