Pittsburgh Pirates Team Report

INSIDE PITCH The Pirates had Monday off and certainly weren't complaining about a break in the schedule. The Pirates finished an 0-5 road trip to St. Louis and New York on Sunday with an 8-4 loss to the Mets. The Pirates have lost eight games in a row and 12 of 13 as they get set to face the Cardinals in a three-game series beginning Tuesday that starts a six-game homestand. "We're struggling to score runs and we're giving up a lot of runs late," Pirates manager John Russell said. "Hopefully we can refocus at home." What makes the Pirates' tailspin so frustrating is that they opened the season 11-7. However, they now find themselves at 12-19 as they try to avoid a 17th straight losing season, which would break the tie with the 1933-48 Phillies for the longest sub-.500 streak in American professional sports history. Russell has been preaching a change of culture since taking over as manager before last season, and he believes his team has not quit during its brutal two-week stretch. "We started out well and there was a lot of energy," Russell said. "The players are still fighting, but each day you lose is not fun. It's a strong group, though. As a staff and players, we'll keep pushing."NOTES, QUOTESSS Jack Wilson took himself out of Class AAA Indianapolis' lineup on Sunday because of cold and wet weather in Syracuse in what was the last game of his injury rehabilitation assignment but is still on track to be activated from the disabled list Tuesday night when the Pirates open a three-game series against St. Louis. Wilson, who has been out since April 25 with a sprained left middle finger, went 2-for-6 with two doubles in two games with Indianapolis and was scheduled to work out Monday, an off day for the Pirates, at PNC Park.RHP Matt Capps, who has been sidelined by a sore elbow since last Tuesday, threw 35 pitches in the bullpen before Sunday's game without pain. He will be available to pitch Tuesday night. Capps felt pain in the elbow after giving up four runs in one inning against Milwaukee last Monday night to suffer a blown save and a loss.BY THE NUMBERS: 17 Consecutive games the Pirates have lost to the Milwaukee. That is the most games one major league team has won over another since Baltimore beat Kansas City 23 times in a row during the 1969 and 1970 seasons.QUOTE TO NOTE: "The record speaks for itself. Apparently, they've got our number. I don't think anyone knows why." 2B Freddy Sanchez, on the Pirates losing 17 straight games to Milwaukee.ROSTER REPORTC Jason Jaramillo and C Robinzon Diaz, both rookies, have combined to hit .313 (20-for-64) with nine doubles, one home run and nine RBI since C Ryan Doumit was placed on the disabled list April 20 with a broken right wrist. Jaramillo is batting .279 with seven doubles and five RBI in 43 at-bats and Diaz has a .381 average, two doubles, one homer and four RBI in 21 at-bats. Doumit is expected to be out until late June.LF Nyjer Morgan is having a fine season in the leadoff spot in the batting order. He has a .301 batting average and a .376 on-base percentage in 30 games but will look to increase his production at PNC Park when the Pirates begin a six-game homestand Tuesday night against St. Louis. Morgan has a .246 batting average and .292 on-base percentage in 14 home games compared to a .355 average and .447 OBP in 16 road games.CF Nate McLouth has shown no ill effects of the strained oblique muscle in his right side that caused him to miss six straight games from April 24-29. He is 14-for-42 (.333) in 10 games since returning to action and had a double and home run Sunday in an 8-4 loss to the Mets in New York3B Andy LaRoche's streak of reaching base in 22 consecutive games ended Sunday. He was 0-for-4 against the Mets at New York. LaRoche was 24-for-75 (.320) with nine doubles, one home run and 11 RBI during the streak, raising his batting average from .000 (he was hitless in his first 18 at bats of the season) to .264.LHP Zach Duke, who pitches Tuesday night against St. Louis, has lost his last two starts to drop to 3-3. Duke has faced the Cardinals twice this season, splitting his two decisions, and is 3-5 against them in his career. MEDICAL WATCH: RHP Matt Capps (sore right elbow) was unavailable May 5-10. He is day-to-day. SS Jack Wilson (sprained left middle finger) went on the 15-day disabled list April 25. He began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Indianapolis on May 8 and could be activated on May 12. RHP Craig Hansen (neck spasms) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 20. He played catch May 3 for the first time since getting hurt. C Ryan Doumit (broken bone in right wrist) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 20. He had surgery April 23, and he will be out eight to 10 weeks. LHP Phil Dumatrait (arthroscopic right shoulder surgery in August 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He was pitching in extended spring training in mid-April. ROTATION: LHP Paul Maholm RHP Ian Snell LHP Zach Duke RHP Ross Ohlendorf RHP Jeff Karstens BULLPEN: RHP Matt Capps (closer) LHP John Grabow RHP Tyler Yates LHP Sean Burnett RHP Evan Meek RHP Jesse Chavez LHP Donnie Veal CATCHERS: Jason Jaramillo Robinzon Diaz INFIELDERS: 1B Adam LaRoche 2B Freddy Sanchez SS Brian Bixler 3B Andy LaRoche INF/OF Eric Hinske INF Ramon Vasquez OUTFIELDERS: LF Nyjer Morgan CF Nate McLouth RF Brandon Moss OF Craig Monroe OF Delwyn Young