NEW YORK -- Alfonso Soriano is back in the New York Yankees' lineup at second base for Game 6 of the World Series on Saturday night against Florida.
Manager Joe Torre dropped Soriano, who didn't start Game 5, to ninth in the
batting order. Shortstop Derek Jeter will hit leadoff for the
second straight game, and first baseman Nick Johnson moves up to second.
Soriano, slumping during the postseason, pinch hit Thursday and
struck out. He has nine strikeouts in 19 at-bats during the World
Series and a record 26 in 68 at-bats during the postseason. Soriano
is batting .158 against the Marlins and .206 overall in the
postseason. He batted ninth in Game 3 of the AL championship
series.
"My feeling was that we won 101 games this year, and just about
all of them were won with him in the lineup," Torre said. "I
think he has the right to be on the field."
Jason Giambi, dropped from the Game 5 lineup because his left
knee was sore after two games playing first base in the NL city,
is back at designated hitter and will bat sixth. Karim Garcia is the No. 7 hitter and right fielder. The rest of the Yankees lineup: center fielder Bernie Williams batting third; left fielder Hideki Matsui, fourth; catcher Jorge Posada fifth; third baseman Aaron Boone eighth.
The Marlins' Game 6 lineup in batting order: center fielder Juan Pierre, second baseman Luis Castillo, catcher Ivan Rodriguez, left fielder Miguel Cabrera, designated hitter Jeff Conine, third baseman Mike Lowell, first baseman Derrek Lee, right fielder Juan Encarnacion and shortstop Alex Gonzalez.
Andy Pettitte is pitching for the Yankees against Florida's Josh Beckett.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.