After losing their cleanup hitter earlier in the week, the Pirates may now be without their No. 3 hitter.
Center fielder Nate McLouth was a late scratch before Friday night's 4-3 loss at San Diego in 11 innings because of a strained right oblique muscle. The Pirates say they don't believe the injury is serious but won't know more until Saturday. However, if McLouth would need to go on the disabled list, it would be a tough blow for the Pirates, especially after catcher and cleanup hitter Ryan Doumit underwent surgery Thursday on a broken right wrist that is expected to sideline him until late June.
McLouth leads the team with four home runs and 14 RBIs while batting .259 in 15 games. He was the Pirates' best player last season when he hit 26 homers and stole 23 bases while winning a National League Gold Glove.
Pirates manager John Russell scrambled to redo his lineup after McLouth was scratched. Nyjer Morgan moved from left field to center, Brandon Moss shifted from right to left and Eric Hinske started in left. Second baseman Freddy Sanchez was dropped from No.2 to McLouth's No. 3 spot while shortstop Jack Wilson moved up from No. 7 to No. 2, Hinske took over at No. 5 and Moss and third baseman Andy LaRoche moved down to No. 6 and No. 7.
PADRES 4, PIRATES 3 (11 innings): Matt Capps (0-1) took the loss, giving up Brian Giles' game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning. Chris Burke drew a one-out walk, stole second with two outs then scored on Giles' single after David Eckstein also walked. Capps had gone 54 appearances without walking more than one batter, dating back to last season's opener at Atlanta on March 31 in which he issued two bases on balls.
