If Pittsburghers wanted to see what makes Zach Duke special, what has compelled the Pirates' management to rave about him like no other pitching prospect in a decade, the wait was blissfully short.

First home game, first home gem.

Photographer, Post-Gazette Rookie Zach Duke pitched seven shutout innings to earn his first major-league victory in a 2-1 decision last night against the Phillies at PNC Park. Click photo for larger image. TODAY Game: Mets at Pirates, 7:05 p.m. Pitching: Josh Fogg (4-4, 4.42 ERA) vs. Victor Zambrano (4-7, 3.80 ERA). TV/Radio: FSN Pittsburgh/KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network. Related coverage Columnist Bob Smizik: Duke might be one who doesn't disappoint Pirates Notebook: Redman supports his teammates Scouting Report: New York Mets

I n his PNC Park debut, Duke delivered seven scoreless innings in his team's 2-1 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies last night, striking out eight while scattering six hits and walking one.

His manager and teammates, already effusive after a solid major-league debut Saturday in Milwaukee, ratcheted up the praise in correlation with his performance.

"I'm impressed with everything about him," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I'm a little bubbly, actually, because ... this kid has some great makeup, and he's got the stuff to go with it. That's a pretty darned good combination. That's something to be excited about."

"He's got great poise, man," catcher Humberto Cota said. "It's unbelievable to see a 22-year-old kid out there doing that."

When Duke walked off the field after escaping a jam in the seventh, the crowd of 20,942 gave him a standing ovation, many of them chanting, "Duuuuuuuuuuuuke."

He seemed just as moved by the response as the outcome.

"Oh, it was awesome. It would be pretty cool if that continues," he said of the chant. "Just being able to have a game like this in front of the people who are going to be supporting me ... it feels really good."

Coupled with his debut on the road, a 5-3 loss to the Brewers, Duke has 17 strikeouts and three runs allowed in 14 innings.

The strikeout total is the most surprising element, given that Duke never mounted many in the minors. He credited a changeup he began using as an out pitch in Milwaukee and one which brought him four of his strikeouts last night.

"I used to use it primarily in fastball counts," Duke said. "I've gotten some confidence in it."

The changeup was only part of his success.

"He had everything," McClendon said. "The changeup was exceptional. The fastball touched 92 mph. Good sinker. He threw some pretty decent curveballs. He pitched in and out. Just a fantastic job."

Of Duke's 112 pitches, 69 were strikes. He reached just five three-ball counts, and his lone walk came on his next-to-last batter. And that attack on the strike zone helped him record an out with every batter he faced to lead off an inning.

"I was able to work ahead," Duke said. "That was important."

He found trouble twice.

The Phillies had men on second and third with two outs in the fourth, and he struck out Ryan Howard .

Men were on first and second with two outs in Duke's seventh and final inning, and he got Jason Michaels -- who had tripled and doubled in his previous two at-bats -- to pop up to right.

McClendon allowed to some concern about Duke in that inning.

"It was a little shaky there in the seventh," McClendon said. "As a manager, you don't like having a young pitcher in a position to lose a ballgame. But I felt he pitched so well he deserved an opportunity to try to get out of it. He made big pitches."

John Grabow, Rick White and Jose Mesa pitched the final two innings, Mesa recording his 21st save.

The Pirates had another evening of offensive exasperation, managing four hits after being blanked the previous night. Twice, they left bases loaded, Tike Redman striking out twice in those situations.

But Cota, one of the Pirates' few consistent performers in the clutch, came through in the fourth with a two-out, two-run home run to the left-field bleachers on a 3-1 hanging slider from Philadelphia starter Brett Myers.

"I just wanted to get one run for Duke," Cota said. "I was able to get a bad pitch and get good wood on it."

Fifteen of Cota's 37 hits have been for extra bases, and he has 24 RBIs in only 154 at-bats.

But even Cota was hard-pressed to discuss anything other than Duke.

"We've been talking about him for two years, minor-league player of the year and all that. Hey, I don't think his numbers would lie, and they don't," Cota said. "He's come in here and pitched like he was in Little League."

The main reason for that, as so many in the organization have been saying for years, is that Duke's level of expectation is higher than the highest around him.

"The young man has a desire to be the best he can be," McClendon said. "And it shows."

It showed, too, with this assessment from Duke about the glowing start of his major-league career: "I've set the bar kind of high. I just can't let up now."