Matt Freed, Post-Gazette The Mets' Moises Alou hits a two-run single in the eighth inning against the Pirates last night. Click photo for larger image. MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Tuesday's results INDIANAPOLIS (61-60) defeated Louisville, 3-2. RHP Marty McLeary (4-5, 4.42) allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked two. LHP Juan Perez (4.81) pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief and struck out four. LF Michael Ryan (.270) went 2 for 4 with an RBI. 1B Steve Pearce (.345) went 1 for 3 with a double and walk. ALTOONA (63-56) lost at Binghamton, 5-3. RHP Kip Bouknight (11-4, 3.72) allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings. LHP Dave Davidson (4.22) allowed one run in two innings of relief. 3B Neil Walker (.290) went 2 for 4. CF Andrew McCutchen (.255) went 1 for 4 with a double. LYNCHBURG (51-66) lost to Myrtle Beach, 8-6, in 11 innings. RHP Todd Redmond (7-9, 4.62) allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings. DH Brad Corley (.282) hit his 12th home run and went 2 for 5 with a walk and two RBIs. HICKORY (54-56) lost to Columbus, 11-5. RHP Brad Clapp (5-10, 6.36) allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings. RF Jonel Pacheco (.300) went 3 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs. STATE COLLEGE (26-26) was off. BRADENTON (19-25) and the Twins were suspended by rain.

On the day the Pirates placed Ryan Doumit on the 15-day disabled list, he received some welcome news, too.

His left wrist injury, the result of a dive in the outfield Monday, proved to be nothing more than a sprained ligament and accompanying bruise. An examination by Dr. Mark Baratz, the team's hand specialist at Allegheny General Hospital, revealed no need for surgery.

Doumit will keep the wrist immobilized for five days and, later this week, visit a Florida doctor for a second opinion. That doctor performed a hand surgery earlier in Doumit's professional career. Baratz will check him again next week.

If all goes well, Doumit could be return by the end of the month.

His placement on the disabled list triggered a flurry of moves:

Reliever Masumi Kuwata, the Pirates' first Japanese player, was designated for assignment. That gives a team 10 days to trade, release or waive a player. The Pirates' plan is to have Kuwata clear waivers and report to Class AAA Indianapolis, but Kuwata must consent, and that seemed no certainty yesterday.

The contracts of catcher Carlos Maldonado and utilityman Matt Kata were purchased from Indianapolis.

To clear space on the 40-man roster, injured starter Zach Duke was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Because the placement is backdated, Duke can return Aug. 28, which is close to Duke's targeted return, anyway. He had a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday in Bradenton, Fla., and still must make rehabilitation starts.

The biggest blow was the loss of Doumit, who has batted .277 with nine home runs and was improving markedly in right field.

"This hurts us," manager Jim Tracy said. "He's very, very difficult to replace."

But the biggest impact, emotionally, was the departure of Kuwata, a 22-year professional and an icon in his homeland.

Kuwata appeared to be working to hold himself together while describing to reporters how he is uncertain, at age 39, what the future holds.

"I've been doing this for a long time," he said. "Right now, I don't know. I haven't decided yet."

Kuwata said he plans to discuss all options with his wife and two sons -- who are visiting in Pittsburgh -- before making up his mind.

One option, it appears, is an unspecified job offer within the Pirates' organization. Tracy did not divulge details, but he did say shortly after meeting with Kuwata, "There are some areas where he can be very valuable to the organization outside the lines."

Kuwata fulfilled his lifelong goal of playing Major League Baseball when he debuted June 10 at Yankee Stadium, and he went on to have a fine -- sometimes scintillating -- opening month with a 2.53 ERA in nine appearances. But he was scored upon in eight of his final 10 appearances to multiply that ERA to 9.43, including a five-run inning Monday when his sons watched him pitch in the majors for the first time.

Kuwata, who yesterday called that outing "terrible," did not seem surprised by the release.

"This happens all the time in baseball," he said. "I just want to say thank you to the Pirates for giving me this opportunity. I really appreciate it. Everyone helped me so much."

Nady's tear slight

General manager Dave Littlefield said outfielder Xavier Nady's tear in his left hamstring -- "a small, partial tear," as he called it -- is among the less serious variety that doctors often call a strain.

"Those terms can be interchangeable when it comes to the hamstring," Littlefield said.

Bottom line: The tear was not enough to prompt the Pirates to put Nady on the disabled list, even though he still is limited to pinch-hitting.

"Day to day," Littlefield said.

The best left behind?

Maldonado, who batted .219 for Indianapolis, was promoted to give the Pirates a backup for Ronny Paulino and to allow Josh Phelps, the third-string catcher, flexibility to play other positions, Tracy said.

Kata's second promotion in a month was more difficult to explain, particularly given that a left-handed hitting outfielder with some pop was needed to replace Doumit and Michael Ryan, Indianapolis' best performer in the past six weeks, was left behind.

Ryan, a 30-year-old native of Indiana, Pa., who spent parts of 2002-05 with the Minnesota Twins, is batting .270 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs, with 11 of those home runs coming in the past month. He has a reputation for being sound defensively, as well.

Littlefield described Kata's versatility -- he can play the infield, too -- as a factor in the decision, but there already were plenty of options there. Kata, 30, batted .214 in 16 games for the Pirates earlier this season.

Buried treasure

Center fielder Chris Duffy has begun running the bases and could see game action in Bradenton soon.

The 40-man roster remained full.