NL Wild Card game 2013: Reds vs. Pirates starting lineups
The lineups for Tuesday’s Wild Card match-up are in. No big surprises for either club.
For the Reds, Shin-Soo Choo is locked into the leadoff position he's thrived in all season. Ryan Ludwick, who hadn't hit in the number two spot all year until the final regular season series against the Bucs, gets the nod again with the platoon advantage against the southpaw Francisco Liriano. Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Choo are the only left-handed bats in the lineup for Cincinnati.
Ludwick's jump into the two spot puts second baseman Brandon Phillips back into the clean-up role, which should offer him plenty of RBI opportunities. The bottom half of the lineup -- Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, Zack Cozart, Ryan Hanigan -- is in its standard order.
The Bucs are going with the lineup that worked well for them in the final month of the season. Starling Marte, second to only Choo among NL leadoff men, will get things going. Following him are second baseman Neil Walker, MVP front-runner Andrew McCutchen and recent acquisition Justin Morneau -- who lights up right-handed pitching. Marlon Byrd, Pedro Alvarez, Russell Martin and the light-hitting Clint Barmes round things out for Pittsburgh.
