Wednesday pre game

For those of you keeping count, the Pirates have won 50 games this season. They've come from behind in 26 of them. Good thing the Bucs aren't quitters!

> Adam LaRoche was officially diagnosed with a right intercostal strain which our medical people (OK, GW's nurse missus) say is a slight cartilage tear.

LaRoche strained a muscle in his right lower back, near his rib cage, while swinging in Sunday's game. He will be shut down physically for at least seven to 10 days before he can even begin rehab, so he may be out for longer than two weeks.

Depending on its severity, these kinds of injuries can last from 2-6 weeks and that's why Pittsburgh is being very cautious in LaRoche's treatment, so as not to aggravate it.

> There was a boxful of scouts at PNC pointing radar guns at John Grabow last night, so he's still on the table as Thursday creeps up.

> Lyle Spencer of MLB.com says "Jason Bay could follow Nady out of Pittsburgh. He'd look splendid in right field in Tampa Bay or Queens. But the Bucs would like to keep a run-producer aligned with Nate McLouth - and keep the turnstiles clicking."

On the minor league front: RHP Ross Ohlendorf went 6 innings and gave up 7 hits and 4 runs, while striking out 5 with 2 walks. He took the loss as the Tribe only managed 5 hits. Gorzo goes for Indy tomorrow.

SS Luis Cruz, 24, (.264 with six home runs and 46 RBI in 105 games) and 1B Jason Delaney, 24, (.292 with seven home runs and 43 RBI in 109 games), were called up from AA Altoona to Indy.

> Altoona won 4-2, as RHP Juan Mateo (3-1) went three shutout innings, giving up 2 hits and striking out 4, got the win. 2B Shelby Ford (.278), 3B Jim Negrych (.500 - good first day for the Pitt grad), and SS Jason Bowers (.269) had two hits each.

At long last, 3B Jim Negrych, batting .370 with 77 runs scored, and OF Jamie Romak, batting .279 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI at high A Lynchburg, got the call to the Curve.

> Lynchburg lost 5-2 as it managed just 3 hits. RHP Brad Lincoln (1-2, 6.60 ERA) took the loss. He went six innings, yielding 3 runs on 6 hits - two left the yard - and striking out three while walking one.

> Hickory only collected 6 hits, losing 7-5.

> State College got hit by a truck, losing 14-2. RF Andrew Biela (.290) had a pair of singles.