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Saturday, May 31, 2003

By Robert Dvorchak, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Pirates vs. Cardinals, 4:05 p.m., Busch Stadium, St. Louis. TV: WPGH. Radio: KDKA-AM (1020) and the Pirates Radio Network. RHP Kip Wells (1-2) is expected to start for the Pirates; RHP Woody Williams (7-0) for the Cardinals.

To rest or not to rest? Questions lingered about sitting Kenny Lofton in Wednesday's game against the Cubs or why he didn't pinch-hit for Abraham Nunez in the ninth inning with the tying run on second, even at the risk of ending his 25-game hitting streak. Explanations were repeated yesterday, although Manager Lloyd McClendon knows the logic won't appease all the fans. "The positive in all of this is we have passionate fans. They care about baseball in Pittsburgh. I'm just as passionate. But I have to manage these 25 guys every day," he said. "I'm not a rotisserie-league manager. I have to manage human beings, and I can't lose any of those guys. They have to play for me for 162 games, not just in April or May. The guy's hurting. His legs are tired. He's mentally exhausted. You tell him he's going to get that day off, he's going to get that day off. It's that old thing, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Because I guarantee you, if I would have pinch-hit Lofton in that game and he doesn't get the hit and we lose that game, people would be asking how can McClendon kill his 25-game hitting streak?"

The Pirates were playing the first-place Cubs and there was a day off scheduled Thursday, so any team would like to have its hottest hitter (.406 in the last 25 games with a .474 on-base percentage) in the game. But Lofton, who turns 36 today, went to McClendon and broached the subject of a day off after a night game. The plan coming out of spring training had been to give Lofton two days off a week. That hasn't happened often Last year, when he was with the White Sox, Lofton banged up his legs and hit .136 in June, the lowest average in the major leagues. "You have to look long term, not short term. Fans just look short term. This is a long season," Lofton said before last night's game. "It's always good to have a day off. Sometimes you have to take a break mentally. I've played a day game after a night game a couple of times already. I was going to need one [day game] off sooner or later."

McClendon, who was ejected in the second inning of Wednesday's game, said he had faith in the switch-hitting Nunez batting against right-handed reliever Joe Borowski. Nunez's had a two-run double in Tuesday's game, and few managers would lift a left-hander for a left-hander. "We had a guy at the plate who got a big hit the day before. He's had some success against Borowski. He's certainly more than capable of getting a hit, so why not?" McClendon said.

Reggie Sanders was a late scratch again last night and missed his fourth consecutive game because of a sore right hamstring. Sanders tested it before the game and reported it was feeling better but still not up to the strength required to play. Craig Wilson started in right field."I'd rather be smart about it than reinjure it," Sanders said.

Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds, who has bruise in the area of his right rib cage, took batting practice yesterday but is still likely to miss the series against the Pirates. Edmonds was injured diving for a fly ball and then felt discomfort when he swung a bat.

NASHVILLE (29-23) lost, 6-2, at Iowa. Starter Justin Reid (2-3) was knocked out in the third inning after allowing six runs on nine hits with two walks. 1B Carlos Rivera hit his seventh home run and added a single. 3B David Doster has two hits.

ALTOONA (27-24) won, 5-4, at home vs. Akron in 13 innings on 3B Ray Navarette's single with the bases loaded. Reliever Todd Ozias (2-1) pitched the final two innings as the bullpen had eight scoreless innings. Starter Ben Shaffar went five innings, allowing four runs on six hits. DH Ken Nicholson had two hits, including a double, and had two RBIs. LF Josh Bonifay had three hits.

LYNCHBURG (27-17) won, 5-4, at Potomac. Starter Ian Oquendo (4-2) allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings. Melqui Torres got his 14th save. DH Chris Shelton hit his 10th home run and added a double. C Ryan Doumit had two hits and two RBI, and LF Nathan McLouth had two hits and scored twice.

HICKORY (33-18) won, 7-4, at home vs. Capital City. Kurt Shafer (3-0) won in relief of Alex Hart, who gave up four runs on six hits in five innings. Henry Owens picked up his fourth save. DH Chaz Lytle knocked in two runs. CF Rajai Davis tripled, singled and had an RBI while 1B Chris Bass had two hits, drove in a run and scored twice. SS Taber Lee had two hits, including a double.