Five hits earn Adam Frazier another crack at Pirates’ leadoff spot

When Adam Frazier reclaimed the leadoff spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup Monday, it was supposed to be a one-night only engagement.

Having five hits and tying the major-league record for doubles in a game changed that.

“I didn’t ask any analytics,” manager Clint Hurdle said with a wry smile Tuesday. “I didn’t. I’m just gonna kind of own this one, good, bad ugly whatever.”

Frazier opened the season as the Pirates’ leadoff hitter, but through 44 starts with his OPS at an unsightly .655 Hurdle had little choice but to drop the second baseman to the No. 8 spot in the lineup beginning May 30.

Frazier was better there, posting a.787 OPS and .356 on-base percentage (as opposed to .303 as a leadoff hitter). But that wasn’t why he was back in the leadoff spot Monday – it was solely a function of a day of rest for shortstop Kevin Newman, the rookie who’d seized the leadoff role in the interim.

In their return to PNC Park, Josh Bell and the rest of the #Pirates put on an early fireworks display. https://t.co/xJdjgiPopq

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) July 2, 2019

The only other Pirates player to have four doubles in a game before Frazier did on Monday was Paul Waner on May 20, 1932. Frazier’s career-high five hits were the most by a Pirates leadoff hitter since Wally Backman on April 27, 1992.

Frazier’s season OPS is up to .706, the highest it’s been since April 27. His .270 average is as high as it’s been since April 17.

Newman hit in the No. 7 spot in the order for Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

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