CINCINNATI -- This pitcher-batting-eighth thing is growing on John Russell.

The Pirates manager again last night batted his starting pitcher eighth, one night after Paul Maholm batted in that spot. Zach Duke was eighth behind third baseman Jose Bautista and ahead of shortstop Jack Wilson.

So is this going to be the norm for the Pirates?

"I'll continue to look at it," Russell said. "I'm not saying I'm going to do it every game, but it was intriguing how the lineup turned over and how we had opportunities. It was kind of fun actually."

---

Minor-league report

Tuesday's games

INDIANAPOLIS (40-46) lost at Louisville, 5-0. RHP Jason Davis (4-9, 5.18) allowed five runs and six hits in seven innings. C Andrew McCutchen (.284) went 2 for 3 with a walk and two steals. RF Steve Pearce (.259) went 0 for 3 with a walk. 3B Neil Walker (.230) went 0 for 4.

ALTOONA (34-47) lost to Binghamton, 5-2. RHP Derek Hankins (, 3.84) allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. CF James Boone (.258) went 2 for 5 with two doubles and two RBIs.

LYNCHBURG (35-47) won at Wilmington, 4-1. RHP Mike Crotta (7-5, 5.15) pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed three hits. He struck out two, walked none. RF Jamie Romak (.304) hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot, and went 2 for 4.

HICKORY (34-48) lost to Augusta, 8-1. RHP Brad Lincoln (4-4, 4.50) allowed seven runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five, walked none and hit a batter. 1B Matt Hague (.368) hit his third home run and went 2 for 4.

STATE COLLEGE (2-11) lost to Williamsport, 5-2. RHP William Kelly (, 4.91) allowed two runs and three hits in four innings. DH Cole White (.308) went 2 for 4.

BRADENTON (5-5) lost to the Red Sox, 9-5. RHP Albert Fagan (1-1, 10.13) allowed five runs and five hits in innings. 1B Alex Vargas (.306) hit his first home run, a two-run shot, and went 2 for 5.

---

Monday night, when the Pirates lost, 4-3, Wilson also batted ninth. He led off two innings and flied to center each time. However, he also reached base twice, once with one out, the other time with no outs and a man on. In neither of those innings did the Pirates score, but they did get a runner in scoring position.

"As the game went on, I really started to look at it more," Russell said. "I think it got us more guys in scoring position. With the opportunities that presented themselves, I thought it was working pretty good.

"We only scored three runs, but we had opportunities, which is what you're looking for. I don't think it was a detriment."

Maholm didn't seem to think there was anything different about batting eighth.

"For a pitcher, if there's a guy on and less than two outs, you're going to bunt him over," he said. "If there's nobody on, you swing and hope."

Hometown hero?

Pitcher John Van Benschoten will make his 16th major league start tonight, but this one will be a little out of the ordinary. It will be his first in his hometown.

The right-hander grew up in Milford, Ohio, a suburb about 20 miles east of downtown Cincinnati.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It will probably be a little different, but once the bell rings, it will be the same -- I hope."

Van Benschoten has won once in his 15 previous starts, that victory coming Sept. 10, 2004, against Houston. He has started once this season and relieved four other times.

"I'd like him to throw like he did out of the bullpen," Russell said. "He looked like he was a little more aggressive -- aggressive to contact, aggressive to the hitter. We want him to be aggressive and not pick at the [strike] zone and always be looking at 2-0 and 3-1 counts."

Capps taking stock

Cincinnati won Monday night's game on Ken Griffey Jr.'s two-run home run off Matt Capps in the ninth inning. That represented Capps' fourth blown save in a three-week span.

"I've looked at tape from early in the season and from [recently] and nothing really looked different with my mechanics," Capps said. "Nothing feels different."

He paused.

"The pressure's on," he said. "I've got to perform. Nobody knows that better than me. The pressure's on all of us in the bullpen. We're the hockey goaltender. If he has a good game, it kind of goes unnoticed. If he has a bad game, it's exposed for everybody to see. That's why it's so exciting and so fun at times."

Buried treasure

• The Pirates' loss Monday ended their streak of 29 consecutive victories when they had the lead after seven innings. That dated to Sept. 19 at San Diego when Scott Hairston beat them with a three-run home run off Capps.

• The Pirates were 12-15 in June, 16 games decided by one or two runs. They were 9-7 in those 16.