WASHINGTON — The Braves are the only team in the majors that’s used a different lineup in every game this season, a streak that continued Friday when manager Fredi Gonzalez filled a lineup card with Jonny Gomes batting cleanup and Phil Gosselin batting seventh, each of them in those spots for the first time this season.
With the Braves facing Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez, the first left-handed starter they faced since April 21 and likely the only one they’ll face on the nine-game trip that began Friday, Gonzalez wanted to make sure he got Gosselin in the lineup, and did so by resting rookie second baseman Jace Peterson, who’s in the midst of his first big-league hitting surge.
Peterson had started 12 consecutive games and was 15-for-36 (.417) with five RBIs and a .488 on-base percentage in his past 11 games before Friday, including three consecutive two-hit games against the Phillies Monday through Wednesday.
“Part of it is, Goose hasn’t played in a while,” Fredi Gonzalez said. “I think the last time he got a start was against Niese. And looking forward, we don’t see another left-hander until after the (trip). Because Cincinnati doesn’t have one, these guys (Nationals) don’t have one in the next two games, and then Miami doesn’t have one.
“It’s not really (matter of) resting (players), because we had a day off yesterday. It’s trying to get somebody some starts. Get them four at-bats.”
Since going 1-for-3 with a walk against the Mets on April 21, Gosselin had only one at-bat in each of his past nine appearances before Friday. He had three hits in that stretch and was 3-for-9 as a pinch-hitter for the season.
“If you want Gosselin to be a right-handed pinch hitter, you look at the game lines, he’s had, like one at-bat his last (nine) games. Sooner or later that doesn’t do him any good and doesn’t do us any good, because we’re going to have to hit him in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and he hasn’t had four at-bats (in a long time). It’s not fair for him.
“If we didn’t play Jonny Gomes against some selective right-handers, he’s another guy that would go 12, 13 days without getting four at-bats (in a game). It’s a balance, but it’s something we have to do for the betterment of the team.”
Versatile veteran Kelly Johnson has been one of the Braves’ hottest hitters for two weeks, starting 11 of 12 games before Friday and going 12-for-93 (.293) with four homers and 15 RBIs in that power-laden stretch, including homers in three of his past five starts.
Johnson was out of the lineup Friday, with Gomes in left field and Alberto Callaspo at third base, the positions where Johnson has made 16 of his 18 starts in the field. Gonzalez was asked if it were tough keeping Johnson’s name out of the lineup.
“Yeah, but knowing he’s going to play the next five or six games, he might be looking for a day off himself,” he said. “Shoot, tonight Kelly might come in to pinch hit in a double-switch, stay in the game and get two at-bats. So… I think it’s worked well that way, really.”
