The Pirates have called up two relief pitchers from the Indianapolis Indians: �Steven Jackson and Justin Thomas.

Jackson (photo) is already on the Pirates' 40-man roster. �The right-hander pitched in one game for the Pirates, on May 28th, when he went 1.2 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit, with 2 strikeouts. �In 22 relief appearances for the Indians, Jackson has pitched 31 innings and given up 12 runs (10 earned) on 34 hits and 11 walks, with 18 strikeouts. �He got off to a slower start in April, when he allowed 9 runs (7 earned) on 18 hits in 13.1 innings (4.73 ERA, and .320 opponents' batting average). �But things improved in May, with just 3 runs on 12 hits in 13 innings. �That meant a 2.08 ERA and opponents batting .240 against him. �So far in June, in 5 appearances, Jackson has allowed 4 hits and no runs, in 4.2 innings.

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The lefty Thomas will need to be added to the 40-man roster. �He has been consistent all season long, making 24 relief appearances for the Indians. �He has 3 wins and 3 saves to his credit. �Thomas allowed 4 runs (3 earned) in 5 relief appearances in April, then cut back to 1 run allowed in May (12 appearances) and 1 run in June (7 appearances). �His ERA in May was 0.60, and in June it stands at 0.93, with a 1.30 overall ERA. �In a total of 34.2 innings, he has allowed 19 hits and 3 walks, with 34 strikeouts. �Opponents hit .157 against him.

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The Pirates also removed pitcher Dana Eveland from the 40-man roster today, and designated him for assignment. �They have 10 days to trade or release him, and if he passes through waivers, then he can be assigned to Indianapolis. �Eveland just joined the Pirates recently, coming to the Pirates from Toronto in exchange for minor league pitcher Ronald Uviedo.

Wednesday's action in the rest of the Pirates' minor league organization. �The West Virginia Power had the day off, wrapping up the South Atlantic League's All-Star break

Altoona Curve �8, �Portland Sea Dogs �1 (box)

Bryan Morris pitched into the 7th inning in his 4th win of the season, allowing only one run on 6 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 4 for the Curve. �The first batter Morris faced doubled to open the gam, and Portland's second batter lined a single into center field, complicated by a fielding error by CF Gorkys Hernandez, to score a run. �Morris gave up a walk, but ended the inning with 2 strikeouts, and put up zeros after that. �He retired the next 7 batters, before allowing two singles in the 4th, then getting out of that jam with a double play. �He breezed through the 5th and 6th innings, then gave up a single and a walk in the 7th, and was relieved by Jeff Sues. Sues finished the 7th inning, but loaded the bases in the 8th on a walk and two singles (one by former Curve Ray Chang). �He got out of that mess with two pop outs (all three of the outs that inning were pop outs). Diego Moreno, fresh off the Disabled List, pitched the 9th inning, allowing a walk amid three strikeouts.

The Curve batters provided Morris with plenty of run support, beginning with 4 runs in the bottom of the 1st. �With one out, the next 5 batters reached base on hits. �Singles by Gorkys Hernandez and 3B Josh Harrison were followed by a double by 1B Matt Hague, which brought in two runs. �2B Jordy Mercer singled, scoring Hague. �C Hector Gimenez doubled, moving Mercer to third base. �LF Alex Presley bounced to first base for a fielder's choice, as Hague was tagged out at the plate. �Gimenez scored the fourth run of the inning on a passed ball. �RF Miles Durham got in on the act in the 4th inning with a 2-run homer, after a walk by Presley. �Gimenez led off the 6th with a solo homer, then Presley scored on a double and a fielding error on DH Shelby Ford's ball to first.

With today’s DFA of Dana Eveland, a trade that appeared suspect at the time now looks even worse. Essentially, the Pirates traded Ronald Uviedo for three non-descript appearances by Eveland. It seems like they simply threw away a minor asset. However, maybe there is more to this situation than what meets the eye.

The Pirates designated Dana Eveland for assignment today. The move leaves the team with two openings on the active roster. Corresponding transactions will be made this afternoon.

There was nothing pretty about this one. Paul Maholm got hammered. Dana Eveland got hammered as the first man out of the pen. Ken the Lemonade Vendor was in the area on vacation (a big JFK conspiracy buff, Ken was touring the route that JFK's motorcade took that fateful day in November) and he was quickly signed and inserted into the game. Alright, that last part didn't happen.

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Steve Pearce is wearing that missing part of the foul line on his jersey.

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Durham Bulls 7, Indianapolis Indians 6 (box)

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A rare melt-down by the Indianapolis Indians' bullpen gave the Durham Bulls the win this afternoon at Victory Field. The game-time temperature in Indianapolis was 90 degrees, and the heat index was hovering around 99 degrees, while the grounds crew reported an on-field temperature of 126 degrees -- and no, there isn't any astroturf here.

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You might think that such unbearable temperatures might have encouraged the pitchers to move things along, so that they could get themselves off the field and back into the shade of the dugout. But that was not what was happening -- in fact the 9-inning game lasted 3 hours 42 minutes, and the first inning alone took over 30 minutes.

The Indians also had a surprise at third base today -- Steve Pearce, making his first ever professional (and not even during high school or college) start at third base (photo above). He had to borrow that big glove from a teammate.

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The game began with Brian Burres on the mound for the Tribe, and Bulls' CF Desmond Jennings slipping a grounder through the hole into left field for a single. Burres struck out RF Matt Joyce, but gave up a double to DH Justin Ruggiano, driving in Jennings with the first run of the game.

Tribe RF Brandon Moss tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a blast over the 362' mark on the right field wall, into a group of happy yellow-shirted summer campers. The Tribe continued to work on starter Richard De Los Santos in the 1st inning. 2B Jim Negrych singled into right field, and after the second strikeout of the inning, 1B Jeff Clement and DH Brian Myrow worked back-to-back walks to load the bases. C Erik Kratz hit another long fly to right field, but this one was caught on the warning track to end the inning. Still, the score was tied, 1-1. That inning took 31 pitches from De Los Santos. He hit CF Jonathan Van Every with a pitch to begin the 2nd inning, and then got SS Argenis Diaz to pop out. LF Kevin Melillo lined a single into left field. Van Every advanced to second base, but moments later was picked off. A strikeout ended the inning, but that frame used up 22 pitches from De Los Santos -- 53 pitches for the first two innings, and that's a lot of work to be doing in the heat.

Tony Sanchez will have surgery to repair two fractures in his jaw. He will be out indefinitely, and is expected to miss much of the season.

The Pirates have placed Zach Duke on the 15-day disabled list with "a strained flexor pronator muscle in the left elbow," retroactive to June 17th. He is expected to miss two additional starts. The Pirates have not yet determined a replacement for Duke's start on Saturday.

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Doug Bernier is congratulated on his home run.

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Indianapolis Indians �9, �Durham Bulls �1 (box)

The outfield berm was a very good place to be tonight if you were at Victory Field and were looking to catch a souvenir. �The Indians blasted four home runs on their way to 9 runs on 12 hits, as they got revenge for being one-hit by the Bulls last night. �Not to be outdone by the offense, starter Hayden Penn pitched 6 strong innings, as he struck out a season-high 9 batters and allowed only one unearned run.

The Indians' offensive onslaught began in the 2nd inning. �C Erik Kratz led off the inning with a sinking line drive into left field for a hit. �DH Jeff Clement (photo) followed with a long high bomb over the right field wall and onto the grass berm for a 2-run homer. �Moments later, CF Jonathan Van Every got into the act with a long blast of his own, which landed in the right field berm about 75 feet to the left of Clement's. �The Indians had a 3-0 lead.

The Indians kept it going in the 2nd inning. �With one out, 2B Jim Negrych singled, but before another pitch was thrown to the plate, Bulls' starter Heath Phillips turned and threw to first base. �It looked like Negrych's foot slipped a bit as he tried to dive back to the base, and it was enough delay that he was picked off. �1B Steve Pearce walked with two outs, and Erik Kratz brought him in with another home run (photo) -- this one was a drive down the left field line, which stayed just barely inside the foul pole.

The fourth home run belonged to SS Doug Bernier. Bernier had singled to lead off the 1st inning, but had been left on base. �In the 5th, he led off the inning with a home run rocketed over the left field wall and into the grass berm on that side of the field.

The Tribe added two more runs off Indiana native Heath Phillips in the 6th inning -- not by way of home runs. �Jeff Clement led off the inning with a walk, and 3B Brian Myrow lined a single into left field, moving Clement to second base. �Jonathan Van Every drove in Clement with a line drive single into right field. �RF Brandon Jones' sacrifice fly to deep center field allowed Myrow to score, and the Indians had 8 runs of Phillips, on 10 hits.

What is it about Borbons? Julio Borbon hit a go ahead three run homer in the fifth to beat back the Pirates. Pedro Borbon (not related) once pounded on Pirate pitcher Darryl Patterson during a brawl. The beating administered by Borbon including ripping out his hair and biting one of his ears.

UPDATE (6/22/2010, 9:20 PM): Dejan reports that Holt's MCL is sprained but his meniscus is torn. He will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.

Tuesday's action in the Pirates' lower minor league organization

GCL Yankees �11, �GCL Pirates �4 (box)

Chris Jakubauskas, who suffered a concussion while pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates back in April, made his first appearance in a real game today, with the GCL Pirates. �He pitched 3 innings, and suffered the loss as he gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and a walk. �He did strike out 5 batters. �Jakubauskas retired the Yankees in order in the 1st inning, then gave up a run on a triple and a sacrifice fly in the 2nd. �He allowed a lone walk in the 3rd inning, but began the 4th with a single, a double, and a 3-run homer, followed by another single.

Joan Montero finished the 4th for Jakubauskas, then gave up a run on a single, a wild pitch, and four walks in the 5th. �Dovydas Neverauskas completed the 5th, and gave up 2 runs in the 6th, ona double, a walk, and a 2-RBI single. �The Yankees scored 4 runs in the 8th, though only one was earned. �The inning began with a throwing error b 2B Luis Solano, then a double and a single both brought in a run. �Another fielding error and two more singles gave the Yankees a total of 11 runs. �Rinku Singh pitched a scoreless 9th inning for the Pirates, allowing a single and a walk, then getting a line-out into a double play before ending the inning with a strikeout.

The Pirates' bats could not keep up with the Yankees. �They scored one run in the 2nd, when C Elias Diaz led off with a double, was sacrifice bunted to third, and scored on a fielder's choice by Solano. �The Pirates added a run in the 4th. �RF Gregory Polanco led off with a single up the middle. �A grounder by LF Exicardo Cayonez forced Polanco out at second but left Cayonez at first. �Cayonez stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Yankees' catcher. �He scored on a wild pitch. �Another error contributed to the Pirates' run in the 6th. �SS Kevin Mort singled and 3B Eric Avila and Diaz both walked. �The fielding error on Solano's ball to short allowed Mort to score. �Polanco scored the Pirates' final run in the 8th, when he doubled, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on Cayonez's RBI single.