Freddie Freeman moved up the cleanup (fourth) spot in the Braves batting order Tuesday, after one day hitting in the sixth position.
The first baseman had a walk and two of the Braves’ four hits in Monday’s 1-0 loss to the Red Sox, including a line-drive single up the middle and his first-ever major league bunt single, which he pushed to the left side of the infield to beat a defensive shift.
It was the first time Freeman batted lower than fifth in the batting order since July 1, 2012, when the two-time former All-Star hit sixth for the fourth and final time that season.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez had dropped him from his usual No. 3 spot in the order to sixth on Monday in hopes that it would ease some pressure for Freeman. He had a .177 average with one homer and a .569 OPS in 17 games before his two hits Monday raised those marks to .200 and .610.
Adonis Garcia hit third Tuesday ahead of Freeman, with Jeff Francoeur in the fifth spot against Red Sox left-hander David Price.
“I thought he had some good at-bats (Monday),” Gonzalez said of Freeman. “We moved him up, but it’s still not (third); Garcia’s hitting up there against a left-hander. But (Freeman) is special. He’s a special guy, and we want him in the middle of the lineup.
“Yesterday I thought he had more fun and it relaxed him a little bit, hitting him there in the sixth hole. Getting the bunt down, having fun. I don’t know if he does that hitting in the third hole, because there’s a mystique there hitting in the third hole. But maybe that’ll get him going a little bit.”
