Jason Bay's meteoric rise in the fan voting for starters in the All-Star Game continued yesterday.

The Pirates left fielder is the leading vote-getter among outfielders, which makes him a virtual lock to start the game July 11 at PNC Park.

"I'm flattered," he said last night. "It doesn't mean anything yet, but I'm flattered to be ahead of some of the names I'm ahead of."

"I think it's well deserved," Pirates outfielder/first baseman Craig Wilson said. "With what he brings to the table, he's pretty much the offensive leader of our team.

"I hope he does start. It would be nice to see a hometown guy starting in front of his fans. I think it would be a neat experience for the fans."

So, apparently, does Dan Onorato, Allegheny County chief executive.

Yesterday, he issued a challenge to Pirates fans.

"We have a unique opportunity to show the country how dedicated Pittsburgh fans are," Mr. Onorato said. "With the All-Star Game at PNC Park, it is only fitting that we have a Pirate player on the field when the game begins. It would mean so much to Jason Bay, his teammates and our region."

The top three outfielders in the voting are guaranteed to start. Bay (1,706,105 votes), New York's Carlos Beltran (1,537,849) and Washington's Alfonso Soriano (1,484,845) are the top three.

Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. (1,366,906) and Atlanta's Andruw Jones (1,250,129) are fourth and fifth, respectively.

Bay ranks second in the National League in votes overall. First baseman Albert Pujols has 2,206,409.

"I didn't know that," Bay said of being second overall. "It says a lot about the push Pirates fans have made and the people of Pittsburgh."

Bay would be the first Pirates outfielder to start an All-Star game since Andy Van Slyke in 1993. Jason Kendall started at catcher in 2000.

Bay also would be only the second Pirate to start an All-Star Game in Pittsburgh. Third baseman Bob Elliott started the 1944 game at Forbes Field.

Bay, the NL Player of the Month for May, has had a so-so June. He's hitting .262 with three home runs and 10 RBIs this month. And yet the voters continue to look at his overall numbers -- .290, 20 home runs, 56 RBIs.

Bay's climb in the voting has been incredible.

When the first vote totals were released May 30, Bay was 19th among outfielders with 115,023 votes. He quickly rose to ninth (June 5), sixth (June 12) and third (June 19).

"The fact that Jason is leading is pretty amazing," said Kevin McClatchy, the Pirates' chief executive officer and managing general partner. "And the number of write-in votes Freddy [Sanchez] has might be just as amazing."

Sanchez, third in the NL in hitting with a .351 batting average, leads the write-in voting with 597,249. That puts him fourth in the balloting among third basemen.

Jack Wilson has risen to second among NL shortstops, leaping over the Cardinals' David Eckstein and Atlanta's Edgar Renteria. Wilson (986,117 votes) trails Jose Reyes of New York (1,068,105) by about 82,000 votes.

Jose Castillo remains third in the voting among NL second basemen, while first baseman Sean Casey has climbed to fourth at that position.

Pirates catcher Ronny Paulino and Craig Wilson rank second and third, respectively, behind Sanchez in the write-in voting.

"I'm third? I didn't know that," Wilson said. "It's definitely an honor. I wasn't expecting to get any type of votes. When I went to games as a kid, I wasn't going to pull out a pen and write in anybody's name. ... It shows our fans are getting out there and voting."

Especially considering the Pirates' record of 26-51 is the worst in the National League.

In that initial voting release May 30, no Pirates outfielder was in the top 15. And no Pirates at any other position was in the top five.

However, because of the Pirates organization's huge push to get fans to vote for Pirates and the help of a local advertising agency making a similar plea, Pirates have surged in the balloting.

Paper balloting at all major league parks has ended. The online voting ends Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Rosters will be announced Sunday at 7 p.m.