Tuesday pre-game

The Pirates put 1B Adam LaRoche on the 15-day DL - guess it was an oblique he pulled - and brought back SS Brian Bixler from Indy. Freddie Sanchez is out until at least Friday, necessitating Bixler's call-up.

> Both the Braves and Bucs denied the MLB.com report about a Jay Bay deal. We'll never know exactly what went on, as Atlanta became sellers instead of buyers after a rough weekend of play and Chipper Jones landing on the DL.

Sources say there's still lines being cast for John Grabow and Jack Splat, but after Xavier Nady's trade, the action on Bay has dropped considerably, although there are yet some interested parties.

Some speculation is downright laughable, even at the height iof silly season. One Florida paper thinks the Marlins are trying to pry Ryan Doumit from the Bucs.

Its logic is that Pittsburgh has Ronnie Paulino stashed away at Indy, making Doumit expendable. That's one rumor we think can safely be squelched. But if they're interested in Paulino...

On the minor league front: Indy got clobbered 14-1. It was so bad that C Carlos Maldonado (9.00) made his first pro pitching appearance, allowing one run and three hits in an inning of relief. He struck out one. 'Nuff said.

> Altoona didn't. 3B Jason Bowers' (.264) third-inning, two-run homer and five scoreless innings of relief by LHP Josh Shortslef (4-2, 2.42 ERA) and RHP Jeff Sues (3-1, 4.32 ERA) were the difference in Altoona's 3-1 victory over Trenton.

Starter RHP Christian Castorri (0-1, 6.32 ERA), who took the mound Monday in place of previously scheduled and currently DFA'ed starter RHP Luis Munoz, allowed only one run in four innings before turning the game over in the fifth.

> Lynchburg was rocked, 8-2. DH Kent Sakomoto (.261) went 3 for 4 with a double. C Kris Watts (.315) was 2 for 4 with a double and a run.

Danny Moskos, the Pirates' No. 1 draft pick of 2007, was taken out of the Hillcat's rotation and will work out solely of the bullpen. He's 7-7 with a 6.30 ERA in 20 starts.

The Pirates claim the move was made to keep his innings down rather than because of ineffectual pitching, and he may get some closely monitored, scheduled innings of long work.

> Hickory won 6-0 behind RHP Matt McSwain (4-4, 1.78), who pitched eight no-hit innings. He struck out two and walked two - and they were both wiped out thanks to twin killings as he faced the minimum before reaching his pitch count. The no no was lost after a two-out infield single in the ninth.

DH Erik Huber (.266) was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI.

> Bradenton won 7-0. RHP Gary Amato (1-0, 0.00 ERA) pitched three innings of relief and struck out six batters in his first GCL appearance. Starting RHP Gabriel Alvarado (2-1, 3.81 ERA) pitched four innings, struck out three and allowed two hits in the no-decision. Third baseman Andury Acevedo (.193) went 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored.