Burrell DH, Rowand Starts For Giants In Game 5
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy tweaked his lineup again for Game 5 of the World Series.
So far this postseason, most of Bochy's moves have been right on.
Struggling Pat Burrell returned to the lineup for Monday night's game against the Texas Rangers, but as the designated hitter instead of in left field. Aaron Rowand got his first start of the Series in center, with Andres Torres moving from center to right. Cody Ross was in left for the second straight day, and Aubrey Huff was back at first base following a one-day stint as DH during which he hit a two-run drive for his first career postseason homer.
The Giants are trying to win their first World Series in 56 years and first since moving West in 1958.
Torres, who replaced Rowand as the regular center fielder at midseason, has moved to right previously.
"Torry's comfortable wherever we put him," Bochy said. "Having Row out there with Torry and Ross is our best defensive outfield tonight."
Burrell was benched for Sunday night's 4-0 victory in Game 4. He has eight strikeouts in nine at-bats in the Series, is 0 for 9 overall and has 19 strikeouts in 38 at-bats this postseason.
Bochy said he had told Burrell he would be back in the lineup Monday and Burrell spent Sunday taking extra swings to try to get on track.
"He worked on some things yesterday," Bochy said.
Burrell entered with a .209 career average in 160 games as a designated hitter, leading to his release by the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this season. Burrell signed a minor league deal with the Giants in late May and was called up June 4 following a short stint with Triple-A Fresno.
Rowand, who won a World Series ring with the 2005 White Sox, is 7 for 25 with a homer and four RBIs against Rangers ace and Game 5 starter Cliff Lee. That factored into him getting the call Monday.
"More so, we need him," Bochy said of the decision. "He's faced Lee and we need another right-handed bat out there, experience. It's nice to put a good center fielder out there who has been through this and faced Lee."
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers have added right-hander Dustin Nippert to their World Series roster, replacing injured reliever Alexi Ogando.
Texas made the move before Game 5 on Monday night.
Ogando left the Rangers' 4-0 loss to San Francisco in Game 4 when he strained a muscle in his left side.
Nippert was 4-5 with a 4.29 ERA in 38 appearances during the regular season. He allowed two runs and two hits in his only inning this postseason, in Game 3 of the AL division series against Tampa Bay. He wasn't on the roster for the AL championship series.
Ogando made six playoff appearances, allowing an earned run over six innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. He tossed 3 2-3 scoreless innings in two World Series games.
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