Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Center fielder Tike Redman leaps against the wall to catch a fly ball by Tampa Bay's Jorge Cantu in the fourth inning last night at PNC Park. Redman had two hits and scored three runs in the 7-2 victory. Click photo for larger image. More Pirates Coverage: Pirates Notebook: Wilson doing great in 8th spot Bobblehead nights lure entrepreneurs to Pirates games

At the start of this month, Tike Redman was banished to the Pirates' bench.

All he has done since then is to establish himself as an invaluable player in the team's surge to within a game of .500, including the 7-2 throttling of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays last night at PNC Park.

He singled, tripled, scored three runs and made a nimble, leaping catch at the center-field fence to draw a lengthy standing ovation from the 27,517 in attendance.

Not bad for a spare part.

"I'm trying to play every game like it's my last," Redman said. "I have to keep my head up right now. I'm just happy to be in a big-league uniform. When I get my opportunities, I've got to do the most I can."

That performance added to eye-opening June totals that include a .550 average (11 for 20) in seven games, a double, two triples, six runs and, on top of all that, sound defense. Overall, his average has soared from .221 at the end of May to .274 today.

Manager Lloyd McClendon named Freddy Sanchez his full-time third baseman on the first day of the month. That moved hot-hitting Rob Mackowiak into center field and pushed Redman out of the mix.

Sanchez was cleared to start last night after missing three games because of an injury, but McClendon went with intuition and stuck with Redman for a fourth consecutive start.

He was glad he did.

"That's what it's all about," McClendon said. "When you have the opportunity to go out there and produce and perform, you have to take advantage of it. I think Tike understands that. He's played well."

Just as quickly, though, he added it was "highly unlikely" Redman would start in the rest of the series because Tampa Bay is using left-handers, a clear sign of Redman's current status.

McClendon has been tough on Redman occasionally, but that is not the case here, he has insisted. Rather, he has said, there are so many players performing well of late -- including Sanchez and Mackowiak -- that there is not enough time for everyone.

The victory last night, the Pirates' third in a row, improved their record to 29-30 and their mark on the 13-game homestand to 8-3.

As a result of that success, Redman apparently has no plan to pout.

"Basically, if I come in and don't see my name on the card, it's like, hey, I'll just work hard and come in and be ready for whatever we need," he said. "If they put me in there, I've got to do the best I can. If not, I'm cheering the rest of the guys on. We're winning right now. It feels good."

Shortstop jack Wilson fires to first base to throw out Tampa Bay's Julio Lugo in the third inning at PNC Park last night. Click photo for larger image.

Mark Redman pitched seven strong innings to build on his sterling season. He allowed two runs and eight hits in improving to 4-4 and lowering his earned run average to 2.80. It was the ninth time in Redman's 13 starts he held the opposition to two or fewer runs.

He even received an unusual outpouring of offense, including a two-run triple and three RBIs from Jason Bay. He entered the game with only 20 runs of support, fewest of any pitcher in Major League Baseball with 75 innings or more.

Still, Redman was eager to deflect credit for the victory to his center fielder, singling out the catch.

"It was outstanding," he said. "It's a great play, and it bailed me out of an inning."

The Pirates built a 2-0 lead on first-inning sacrifice flies by Bay and Jose Castillo, and Tampa Bay nearly cut into that in the fourth.

With a man on first, Jorge Cantu unleashed a hard drive to center that appeared headed directly to Tike Redman. But, with storm clouds overhead and a wind swirling, the ball found new life.

"I saw it off the bat," Redman said. "But the wind hit it, and it just took off."

So did Redman. He hastily backpedaled, timed his jump, slammed into the wall and came down with the ball. Mark Redman and several Pirates teammates waited by the dugout to congratulate him.

McClendon, who earlier in the day assessed Redman's defense this season as "adequate," praised the catch.

"He really did a nice job," McClendon said. "That gust of wind came up out of nowhere, and you could see him speed up. Nice catch."

Redman tripled with one out in the fifth. Mackowiak was intentionally walked, and Bay tripled to deep center to bring them home. Daryle Ward's sacrifice fly made the score, 5-0.

With three sacrifice flies, the Pirates fell one shy of the National League record for one game.

Tampa Bay manager Lou Piniella, whose team is the only one in the majors with a lower player payroll, expressed admiration for his opponent's recent play.

"They've got a good-looking club," Piniella said. "They've been pitching real well. Their starting pitching has been good. They've got some nice, young players."

Too many, it would seem, to satisfy every day.