Jeff Karstens retired the first 12 batters he faced, but Prince Fielder led off the fifth inning with a solo home run. Karstens allowed a two-run blast to Rickie Weeks in the sixth, and the three runs were too many for the Bucs' feeble offense to overcome.

Monday's action with the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates.� The West Virginia Power have a a scheduled day off.

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GCL Pirates� 11,� GCL Braves� 3 (box)

The Pirates got in on the recent hit-o-rama fun the minor league teams have been having.� This afternoon, the Pirates collected 20 hits on their way to 11 runs.� 2B Kevin Mort went 5-for-5, all singles.� SS Jorge Bishop had 4 hits, including a double, and 2 RBI.� 1B Michaelangel Trinidad had 4 hits, two of which were home runs, and he knocked in 7 of the Pirates' 11 runs.

The fun started with 5 runs in the 2nd inning.� Trinidad's first homer was for 2 runs after Mort's first single, and it was followed by a walk to CF Chih-Wei Hsu and three doubles, by 3B Eric Avila, Bishop, and LF Exicardo Cayonez, for 3 more runs.� Trinidad blasted another 2-run homer in the 3rd inning, following another one of Mort's singles.� Bishop led off the 4th with a single, and he scored on two more singles, by RF Gregory Polanco and Mort.

Polanco, Mort, and Trinidad hit three consecutive singles in the 6th to add another run.� The Pirates' final two runs came in the 7th, on singles by Cayonez, C Elias Diaz, and Mort, with a 2-RBI double by Trinidad.

Vincent Payne pitched 4 innings in his 5th start for the Pirates.� He scattered 3 hits, and only one counted -- a solo home run in the 4th inning.� He did not walk anyone, and he struck out 2 batters.� Bryton Trepagnier made his second pro appearance and earned his first win.� He gave up a single to the first batter he faced, but erased him with a double play, and retired the rest of the batters he faced in two innings.� Joan Montero also gave up a single and erased the runner with a double play in the 7th.� He also gave up two runs (one earned) on a single, a walk, a passed ball,� a wild pitch, and an RBI ground out in the 8th inning.� Dinesh Patel pitched a scoreless 9th inning, allowing only a single.

The Pirates have suspended Altoona closer Diego Moreno for "unprofessional conduct." No other details are known.

Triple-A pitchers Hayden Penn and Vinnie Chulk are close to signing deals with separate Japanese teams.

Andrew McCutchen left Sunday's game with a shoulder injury that he sustained while making a diving catch. He was officially diagnosed with a mildly sprained AC joint, which will likely keep him out of action for a few days. McCutchen will be reevaluated today, and the Pirates have not yet ruled him out for tonight's game.

Indianapolis Indians� 4,� Rochester Red Wings� 3 (box)

Three RBI from RF Jonathan Van Every (photo) gave the Indians the spark they needed to get the win this afternoon at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY, giving the Indians a split of the 4-game series with the Red Wings, and a 6-4 record on the extended road trip.

Like yesterday, today's game involved the teams trading the lead and playing catch-up.� Tribe starter Mike Crotta had little trouble with the Red Wings in the first two innings, allowing only a single to C Jose Morales, when his grounder into right field hopped off Van Every's glove, giving Morales the chance to reach second base.� Morales tagged and advanced to third base on the second of two fly outs, but Crotta left him standing there when he ended the inning with a ground out.

Crotta did get into more difficulty in the 3rd inning.� With one out, the next four batters reached base safely.� Crotta (photo below) walked CF Dustin Martin, then SS Trevor Plouff's knocked a bloopy hit into center field, just out of reach of Tribe CF Alex Presley. Martin had to hold up to see whether or not Presley was going to make the catch, so he was only able to get as far as third base on the hit.� LF Matt Macri singled into left field, just past the diving 3B Akinori Iwamura, and Martin scored easily.� Plouffe stepped up to third base on the play, and then scored on RF Brian Dinkelman's RBI single into right field.� Jose Morales was next, and he hit a line drive -- but right at 1B Jeff Clement, for the second out of the inning.� Clement hesitated before throwing the ball to second base, which gave Macri the extra second needed to get back to the bag safely.� It turned out to not matter, as 2B Brendan Harris grounded into a force out to end the inning.� The Red Wings were ahead, 2-0.

The Tribe batters put two runners on base in each of the first three innings, but could not bring any of those six runners around to score.� Aki Iwamura and SS Brian Bixler both singled in the top of the 1st, while Alex Presley and C Luke Carlin walked in the 2nd, and Iwamura and DH Brandon Moss walked in the 3rd.�� The Red Wings' pitching staff gave up a combined 11 walks in the game, but those four were wasted opportunities for the Indians.

Rochester starter Ryan Mullins pitched 2 innings, but when he came out to warm up prior to the top of the 3rd, he suddenly stopped and called out his training staff, then left the game.� He has been battling back problems recently, and they may have flared up again.

In the top of the 4th, Alex Presley and Jonathan Van Every took it upon themselves to erase the Red Wings' lead.� Presley led off the inning with a triple over the head of CF Dustin Martin.� Presley thought about holding up at second base, but when Martin's throw in from deep center field was coming in way high, Presley aggressively headed for third, and arrived there in plenty of time.� Van Every tied the game with a magnificent no-doubt-about-it 2-run homer over the right-center field wall.

As usual on Sunday, the GCL Pirates were off.� Everyone else played games scattered through the afternoon and evening.

Harrisburg Senators� 13, � Altoona Curve� 4 (box)

Paybacks are... well, you know, and today the Senators got revenge for the Curve having scored 10 runs in the 9th last night.� Harrisburg sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the 8th and scored 8 runs, to give them a total of 13 runs in the game.

Justin Wilson made the start for the Curve, and pitched 6 innings.� He did well for the first 5 of those innings, allowing only one run, on a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly in the 2nd inning.� Wilson allowed only a walk and a single over the next three innings.� In the 6th, Wilson gave up back-to-back singles to open the inning, then a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly brought in one run.� A walk and a single drove in a second run.� Wilson allowed 8 hits and 3 walks, and struck out 5 batters.

The Curve scored one run in the 3rd inning, when RF Miles Durham reached base on a fielding error, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Wilson, and scored on SS Chase d'Arnaud's double.� 1B Matt Hague added a solo home run in the 4th, to briefly give the Curve a 2-1 lead.

After the Senators took a 3-2 lead in the 6th, Corey Hamman, just returned to the Curve after a stint with AAA Indianapolis, took the mound for the 7th inning.� It was Hamman's first game action in nearly three weeks, so it wasn't a big surprise when Hamman gave up a lead-off single followed by a 2-run homer, to give Harrisburg a 5-2 lead.

Then the wheels fell off in the 8th inning.� Hamman gave up two singles, two walks, another single (with a fielding error), then got a fielding error.� Three runs had come in at that point, and after another walk to load the bases (again), Hamman was relieved by Dustin Molleken. Molleken got a strikeout, then gave up two singles and a double, driving in 5 more runs (3 of which were charged to Hamman), before he struck out the 12th batter of the inning to end the bleeding.

The Curve made a valiant effort in the top of the 9th.� Matt Hague walked, and 3B Jordy Mercer singled.� A wild pitch moved both up one base, so that Hague scored on LF Brandon Jones' single.� Durham bounced back to the mound, and the Senators traded another run for two outs in a double play, as Mercer scored.� A fly out ended the game, with the Curve not even close to catching up.

Other Curve news:� The Pirates and Curve have suspended reliever Diego Moreno for a period of "5 to 7 days" for unprofessional behavior.� The problem occurred while in Altoona on the Curve's most recent home stand.� Pirates' farm director Kyle Stark also hinted that it's possible that Moreno will be returned to the Bradenton Marauders after his suspension.� Moreno had a 3-0 record and a 1.37 ERA in 16 appearances for Bradenton, with 39 strikeouts in 26.1 innings.� Since being promoted to Altoona and working around a month on the DL, Moreno has made 7 appearances for the Curve, but has allowed 6 runs on 10 hits in 7.2 innings, with 12 strikeouts.

One day after breaking loose with 17 hits, the Pirates collaborated for 19 hits and backed the stellar pitching of Paul Maholm.

The Pirates set a season high for hits and runs to get Ross Ohlendorf off the hook as he only retired four hitters before being yanked.

Indianapolis Indians� 10, �� Rochester Red Wings� 7 (box)

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Two 4-run innings helped the Indians overcome a shaky start by Charlie Morton, as the Indians held on to beat the Red Wings at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY tonight.� Twice the Indians took the lead and twice the Red Wings tied it up.� The third time the Tribe took a lead, the Red Wings rallied again and got within one run, before the Indians took a definitive lead with their second 4-run inning.� The two teams combined for 17 runs on 28 hits, and the Red Wings out-hit the Indians, 16 - 12.� CF Alex Presley (photo) led the Tribe with 3 hits, 3 RBI, and 3 runs scored.

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Charlie Morton got into trouble almost with his first pitch.� The first two batters he faced, RF Brian Dinkleman and SS Trevor Plouffe both ripped line drives for two singles.� LF Jacque Jones also hit a long ball, but luckily, it was more of a fly, and it fell into the glove of Alex Presley in center field.� DH Jose Morales grounded to first, where 1B Brian Myrow turned and threw for the force out on Plouffe at second base.� That put runners on the corners, but Morton got a strike out on 2B Brendan Harris to get himself out of the jam.

DH Jeff Clement gave Morton (photo) a boost with a solo home run to lead off the top of the 2nd inning -- over the right field wall, over the bullpen, over the high wall behind the bullpen, and into a right field picnic area.� Morton, now with a one-run lead, got right back into trouble in the bottom of the inning, with two singles and a walk.� A lead-off single by 3B D'Angelo Jimenez was erased with a double play, SS Argenis Diaz to 2B Jim Negrych to 1B Brian Myrow (6-4-3).� C Wilson Ramos singled into left field, and CF Dustin Martin walked and Morton again was working with two runners on base.� Dinkelman drove a liner into right field, but Tribe RF Brandon Moss made a long run and made the catch at his shoetops to end the inning and again get Morton out of a jam.

Morton's luck did not hold in the 3rd.� Plouffe reached base on a throwing error by his counterpart at short, Argenis Diaz.� Morales singled, pushing Plouffe to second base, and Morton's wild pitch put Plouffe on third.� Harris lifted a sacrifice fly, and Plouffe scored an unearned run to tie the game at 1-1.

The Tribe wasted an opportunity in the 4th, when 3B Akinori Iwamura and Brian Myrow worked back-to-back walks to open the inning.� A coaching visit to the mound settled down Rochester starter Matt Fox, who got two fly outs and a strikeout to end the inning without a run scoring.� The Red Wings also missed out on an opportunity in the 4th, when Wilson Ramos singled, but was erased as he headed for second base in a strike-em-out-throw-em-out double play.

Saturday with the Pirates' lower minor league teams...

Altoona Curve� 18,� Harrisburg Senators� 15 (box)

The booming you might have heard was thunder, and it came from the ballpark in Harrisburg.� These two teams combined for 34 hits and 33 runs, and 20 of the hits belonged to the Curve.� Every non-pitcher in the starting line-up had at least two hits, except LF Yung Chi Chen, who had only one hit and one RBI and walked once. Five different Curve batters homered in the game.

It was not a good night for ERA's.� Starter Bryan Morris gave up 2 runs in the 1st (walk, walk, 2-RBI double) and 2 more in the 3rd (2-run homer).� He gave up a run on a double and a single in the 5th, then loaded the bases with two walks.� Morris was relieved by Dustin Molleken, who immediately threw a wild pitch to bring in the runner from third base (charged to Morris).� Morris was responsible for 6 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks, in 4.2 innings.

Molleken retired the side in order in the 6th.� Mike Dubee came out to pitch the 7th, and he got into trouble quickly.� A single, a stolen base, a double, a walk, a single, another double -- 4 runs in, and Molleken out.� Anthony Claggett relieved Dubee, but gave up a single, and the 5th run of the inning scored (charged to Dubee).� Claggett began the 8th with two singles and a double, then an RBI ground out, bringing in two more runs.� After a walk, Ramon Aguero replaced Claggett, but a sacrifice fly brought in the runner from third base (charged to Claggett).� That made 14 runs for the Senators,� and a 14 - 8 lead.

The Curve batters had been scoring, just not as prolifically as the Senators.� They threatened in the 2nd inning, loading the baes on a single to C Hector Gimenez and walks to RF Miles Durham and Chen, but Morris struck out to end the inning.� Gimenez doubled in the 4th, and scored on Chen's single, putting the Curve on the scoreboard with a 4-1 score.

In the 5th, the Curve tied the score.� SS Chase d'Arnaud was hit by a pitch, and CF Gorkys Hernandez reached base on a throwing error.� 3B Jordy Mercer brought both d'Arnaud and Hernandez in with a double into right field, and Mercer scored on Gimenez's RBI single.� The 4-4 tie did not last long, as the Senators scored two more runs in the bottom of the 5th.� Then the Curve took the lead in the top of the 7th.� 3B Josh Harrison led off with a single, but was forced out at second when 1B Matt Hague grounded into a force play.� Mercer bounced back to the mound, and the Senators tried to turn a double play, but missed something at second, since Hague was safe but Mercer was out at first.� Gimenez walked, then Durham greeted the new Senators' reliever with a booming 3-run homer, to give the Curve a 7-6 lead.� That lead didn't last any longer than the tie did.� Harrisburg scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th, to take an 11-7 lead.

LF Anthony Norman, who had entered the game in a double-switch, homered to lead off the 8th inning, but the Senators scored another 3 runs in the bottom of the frame, to push their lead to 14-8.

Then the top of the 9th, and the Curve exploded.� Fifteen batters came to the plate, as the Curve piled on 10 runs.� Mercer walked, and Gimenez homered (runs #1, 2).� Durham walked and pinch-hitter Brandon Jones homered (3, 4).� Norman reached on a fielding error, and d'Arnaud, Hernandez, and Harrison all singled, plating Norman and d'Arnaud (5,6).� Hague homered for 3 runs (7, 8, 9).� It was a controversial call by the umpires, as Hague's blast down the left field line was ruled fair -- even the Curve radio broadcaster, Dan Zangrilli, said that the ball was foul.� Both the Harrisburg pitcher and manager were ejected arguing the call.� Once things settled down, Mercer singled.� Oh, and did I mention that no outs had been recorded yet?� Gimenez made the first out of the inning at that point, on a strikeout.� Durham doubled in Mercer (10), then Jones also struck out.� Norman walked, and then d'Arnaud flied out to (finally) end the inning.

The Senators did score one more run in the bottom of the 9th, as Derek Hankins gave up a double, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly, but it was way too little, too late.

The Curve set some records -- highest scoring game (33 runs) in Curve history, most runs given up in a game (15), longest 9-inning game (4 hours, 33 minutes), most number of runs in one inning (10).� Their 20 hits in the game was one hit short of the team record.

The Pirates dropped the first game after the All-Star break and seventh straight overall. Brett Myers was sharp and Jeff Keppinger drove in three for Houston.