The game: Zach Duke's spring got off to a shaky start in the Pirates' 12-11 loss to the Cincinnati Reds yesterday at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla.

In two innings, Duke gave up five runs -- four earned -- and six hits, including home runs by Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn in the first, each a deep shot to center off an elevated fastball.

Perhaps most ominous, given that opponents batted .359 off Duke in 2007: He failed to get one swing-and-miss.

"I felt good," he said. "The main thing for me is that I feel healthy. All in all, there were some weird things that happened."

Those "weird things" were one bloop hit, two seeing-eye singles and four defensive miscues. Still, half of the Reds' six hits off Duke were struck solidly.

"It was encouraging," manager John Russell said. "His ball had some good sink to it, and there was obviously some life to his pitches. It wasn't a terrible outing. He left a few balls over the plate."

Steve Pearce's solo home run in the seventh broke a 6-6 tie and set the stage for a wild finish.

The Pirates trailed, 10-7, entering the ninth, but rallied for four runs to take the lead, the highlight coming on Kevin Thompson's two-run double. But Marino Salas, one out away from victory in the bottom half of the ninth, gave up Craig Tatum's RBI double and Scott Hatteberg's winning single.

Freddy Sanchez, Jose Bautista, Andrew McCutchen and Thompson each had two hits.

Josh Sharpless and Danny Moskos each gave up two runs in relief. Moskos, the first-round pick last summer, faced major-league hitters for the first time and allowed Chris Dickerson's two-run home run.

Today: Paul Maholm will start against the Tampa Bay Rays' Jeff Niemann, 1:05 p.m. in Bradenton, Fla. Tom Gorzelanny, forced to miss his debut Thursday because of shoulder soreness, will pitch one inning, followed by John Van Benschoten, Brian Rogers, Jaret Wright, John Grabow and Matt Capps.

Also, this morning marks the first workout for minor-league pitchers and catchers at Pirate City.

Camp roster: 67, with 38 pitchers, eight catchers, 13 infielders and eight outfielders.

Injury update: Outfielder Nate McLouth was a late scratch from the lineup because his hamstring tightened after some morning running. He is day to day.

"Nothing serious," Russell said.

Morgan, McLouth's competitor for the center-field job, took his place and went 1 for 2 with a walk and sacrifice fly.

Fun in the sun: Nothing fun about this day for the Pirates in the field ...

Bautista had two miscues in the first inning, letting a sharp grounder skip off his glove, then failing to get a double play when his throw pulled the second baseman off the bag.

In the next inning, Xavier Nady's throw from right field to third base was well off the mark and allowed a runner to score. Then, shortstop Brian Bixler let a chopper slip under his glove for another run.

In the fifth, McCutchen had a single get past him in right to give up two extra bases and, ultimately, another run.

Inside pitch: The final count on the Pirates' various scouting changes: There are three more North American amateur scouts, including six supervisors -- up from three -- and the same number of area scouts, 15.

Jimmy Lester and John Green remained as supervisors, Jackie Bowen was moved into that role after being on the professional side, Everett Russell and Rodney Henderson were promoted after being area scouts, and Rob Guzik was the lone outside hire.

The international scouts increased from 16 to 18 and, within that, the number of supervisors increased from three to four: Jesus Valdez was promoted to the new role of overseeing Mexico.

Countdown to Atanta: 31 days.