CINCINNATI -- The fact that pitcher Paul Maholm batted eighth in the Pirates' lineup last night could be an indication that John Van Benschoten will be the Pirates' starting pitcher tomorrow night.

You'll recall that Van Benschoten was an outstanding hitter in college at Kent State.

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Minor-league report

Monday's games

INDIANAPOLIS (40-45) lost at Louisville, 12-8. RHP Bryan Bullington (4-6, 5.52) allowed six runs and nine hits in six innings. He struck out seven, walked none. RHP Marino Salas (4.13) allowed five runs in one inning of relief. He walked four. CF Nyjer Morgan (.252) went 2 for 4. 3B Neil Walker (.233) went 1 for 3 with a walk, an RBI and a steal. LF Andrew McCutchen (.281) went 1 for 4 with a double and a walk.

ALTOONA (34-46) lost to Binghamton, 7-3. RHP Luis Munoz (1-2, 7.11) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings. 1B Jason Delaney (.293) went 2 for 4 with an RBI. CF Chris Duffy (.250) went 0 for 4.

LYNCHBURG (34-47) won at Wilmington, 6-3. LHP Danny Moskos (7-4, 4.86) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out three, walked one and threw a wild pitch. 2B Jim Negrych (.361) went 2 for 4 with a double.

HICKORY (34-47) lost to Augusta, 7-2. RHP Duke Welker (1-5, 5.21) allowed seven runs and 10 hits in six innings. 3B Matt Hague (.333) went 1 for 3 with a walk.

STATE COLLEGE (2-10) lost at Williamsport, 4-0. RHP Maurice Bankston (0-2, 3.18) allowed three runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings.

BRADENTON (5-4) was off.

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As a professional, he's a .213 hitter with two home runs and 16 RBIs.

Perhaps manager John Russell will want Van Benschoten to bat higher in the lineup than ninth.

So maybe last night's strategy was employed so that Van Benschoten batting eighth tomorrow night won't be a shock.

"You're getting way ahead of yourself," Russell said yesterday.

Russell did say that Van Benschoten "probably is the best option for us" as tomorrow night's starting pitcher.

That would change, though, if the right-hander had to be used in relief last night -- or tonight.

Van Benschoten said yesterday he hasn't been told anything about pitching tomorrow night.

He had enough trouble adjusting to sleeping in his own place here. He lives just across the Ohio River in Ludlow, Ky.

"I woke up and I was all freaked out," Van Benschoten said. "It was a shock to my system."

If Van Benschoten does start tomorrow night, it would be his first in his hometown. He grew up in Milford, Ohio -- about 20 miles from Great American Ball Park.

Wilson OK with hitting ninth

Jack Wilson had no problem with batting ninth last night.

"I did it in interleague play," Wilson said.

True, but the pitcher didn't bat at all when those interleague games were played in American League ballparks. Last night, Wilson batted behind the pitcher.

"It's kind of like having a two leadoff-man system," Wilson said. "You might as well try it. I'm pretty comfortable with any spot. And hitting ninth, there are eight guys in front of me. I'll see a lot of pitches [before batting] and I can ask a lot of questions about how [Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang] is throwing."

Fifty-one year streak ends

A Pirates pitcher hadn't batted anywhere other than ninth in the lineup since April 18, 1957, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That day, manager Bobby Bragan batted starter Luis Arroyo eighth ahead of Bill Mazeroski in a game against Brooklyn at Ebbets Field.

The season before, Bragan batted the Pirates' starting pitcher seventh in a stretch of 20 consecutive games that ended with a doubleheader in Brooklyn Sept. 3.

Volquez hot at home

The Pirates face a tough challenge tonight in Edinson Volquez, whose 2.08 earned run average leads the National League.

Volquez, who turns 25 years old Thursday, is 5-0 with a 1.83 earned run average in seven starts at home this season.

Overall, he has held opposing batters to a .202 average and has allowed only four home runs in 99 1/3 innings. He has yielded more than three runs in just one start -- against Toronto last Thursday. In 4 1/3 innings, he gave the Blue Jays seven runs (five earned).

Buried treasure

• Reliever Denny Bautista, struck on his right forearm by a line drive Friday night, was available to pitch out of the Pirates' bullpen last night.

• Nate McLouth is 15th among outfielders in the most recent All-Star voting. McLouth has 734,385 votes -- well short of third-place Kosuke Fukudome of the Chicago Cubs, who has 1,783,983 votes.

• The Pirates have signed their 14th-round draft pick, right-handed starter Mike Colla of the University of Arizona. They have signed 26 of their 50 picks.