Manager Bobby Cox said he shuffled his lineup Thursday because he could take advantage of the American League's designated hitter option.
Cox moved speedy outfielder Gregor Blanco to the leadoff spot, a move many observers have been thinking he would make ever since Blanco took over in center field for Mark Kotsay, who is on the disabled list with a sore back. Blanco grounded out and struck out the two times he led off an inning Thursday. Shortstop Yunel Escobar batted in the second spot in the order, taking advantage of his ability to hit behind runners. Escobar hit his 10th double of the year in his first at-bat.
Third baseman Chipper Jones and first baseman Mark Teixeira remain the heart of the order.
Right fielder Jeff Francoeur, who is hitting .253, dropped to seventh in the order. He has fallen into the unproductive pattern of swinging at the first pitch in each at-bat, almost always missing, then laying off the second one -- which invariably turns out to be another strike -- and then, down 0-2, lunging at a pitch off the plate for strike three.
The Braves offense finally produced some clutch hitting in the ninth inning in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Rangers. It happened in the ninth again Thursday, though the Braves lost in the end. It will be interesting to see whether Cox goes back to his previous order, as he has said he would.
RANGERS 5, BRAVES 4: The Braves let another one slip away as manager Bobby Cox's many calls to the bullpen backfired. Jeff Ridgway gave up a three-run homer by Brandon Boggs to put the Rangers up 4-2 in the sixth inning. Michael Young, who hadn't had a hit the entire series, drove in the game-winner with a single off Jeff Bennett in the bottom of the ninth.
Charlie Morton pitched decently for five innings -- at least well enough to win -- and the Braves tied the game 4-4 with clutch hits in the top of the ninth.
The Braves set a major league record by losing their 22nd consecutive one-run games on the road, dating back to last season.
