--3B Andy LaRoche has turned his season around since a dreadful start. He is 16-for-47 (.340) with seven doubles and eight RBIs since starting off 0-for-18. LaRoche has also not made an error in his last 18 games after committing three in his first two games.
--LHP John Grabow has pitched in 350 games since the start of the 2004 season, the most of any lefty in the National League during that span. --RHP Ian Snell threw a career-high 131 pitches Wednesday as he took the loss despite giving up only one run in seven innings. His previous high was 120 on Aug. 19, 2007, against Philadelphia. The knock on Snell coming up through the minor leagues was that he would not have the durability to be a starting pitcher in the majors because of his slight stature, but he has disproved that idea.
BY THE NUMBERS: 4 -- Games the Pirates were over .500 at 11-7 after winning twice in a three-game series at San Diego that ended April 26. The Pirates, who have had 16 straight losing seasons, had not been that far above .500 so late in a season since April 30, 2002.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're going to need guys to step up and our team to come together and I know we will." -- Manager John Russell after losing C Ryan Doumit and SS Jack Wilson to the disabled list in the span of five days.
