Saturday pre game

Yesterday earned Jeff Karstens' his fourth MLB win, the first since Sept. 19, 2006. It was the Pirates' fourth shutout of 2008, the first since Zach Duke's June 20 zippo job against the Toronto Blue Jays.

> Matt Capps and Adam LaRoche seem to be healing up just fine, and both should be back, barring any further setbacks, on schedule. Capps, in fact, is getting in some rehab innings with the GCL club and may head to Altoona in a week or so. LaRoche doesn't think his injury is as bad as feared, and is due off the DL on August 12.

Phil Dumatrait, though, is just soft tossing in Florida, and won't be back for awhile. Freddie Sanchez still hasn't been cleared and may miss the weekend due to back spasms, though he took infield and is hopeful to see action against the Cubs tomorrow.

> Adam and Andy LaRoche will be the eighth brother combo to play for the Pirates, and the first since the Eddie and Johnny O'Brien twins in 1958. With a four-year age gap between them, the LaRoche brothers have never played on the same team together, even in Little League.

And in a real rarity, LaRoche wanted to come here. "What team am I going to?" he asked when called into the manager's office Thursday. His coach asked "If you were going to be traded, which one team would you want it to be?"

LaRoche said "Pittsburgh." He was told "You got your wish."

Now if Pittsburgh could only get the free agents and draftees to think that way, too...

> Steve Pearce is supposed to get the majority of starts in RF once Brendon Moss settles into LF in a day or two. And Jose Bautista, relegated to the bench, said he'll talk over his options with his agent after the season. It seems he doesn't get that his maddening inconsistency at the plate and in the field are the reason he's riding the pine.

> Some Pirates accepted the trades, and some aren't so happy. But as Jack Splat said "We understood coming in this year that this was the team that we were coming in with, and if we didn't win, then it would be taken apart," he said. "We knew that this is what was going to happen."

Wilson added to the Trib's Rob Biertempfel "Yeah, we can see the plan," he said. "But not too many guys are going to be here for that plan. I don't think I'm going to be here for that plan."

> Jay Bay got a standing ovation before his first at-bat with the Red Sox, and the fans really went wild after his last one Friday night.

One day after being traded for Manny Ramirez, Bay filled the disgruntled slugger's role in left field and with clutch hitting by tripling in the 12th inning then scoring to give Boston a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics.

"It definitely ranks up there with one of the better moments I've had," Bay said.

Bay scored both of Boston's runs, reached base four times and made two run-saving catches near the left-field line.

On the minor league front: Indy lost to Toledo, 3-0. RHP Daniel McCutchen (0-2, 3.83) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked three.

> Altoona lost to Bowie, 19-3, suffering the largest margin of defeat in franchise history. Recent call-up 1B Jamie Romak (.125) hit his first Class AA home run, his 19th overall, and went 2 for 4 with two RBIs.

> Lynchburg was swept in a doubleheader at Myrtle Beach, 11-10 and 1-0. In the first game, LHP Danny Moskos (6.38), made his first relief appearance since being removed from the rotation. He was charged with a blown save, giving up two runs, one hit -- a home run -- and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.

CF Alex Presley (.259) was 2 for 4, including his sixth homer and five RBI. LF Jared Keel (.215) had two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI.

In the second game, LHP Brian Holliday (4-9, 5.80) allowed one run and four hits in five innings in the tough luck loss.

> Hickory lost at Savannah, 12-4. RF Keanon Simon (.209) went 3 for 4 with a double, run scored, and an RBI.

> State College lost at Batavia, 12-7. SS Chase D'Arnaud (.268) went 3 for 5 with a double and three RBIs.

> Bradenton lost to the Orioles, 7-3. 3B Jarek Cunningham (.319) went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. 2B Adenson Chourio (.353) added two singles.

Not a very good day for the baby Buccos.