John Heller, Post-Gazette Pirates second baseman Jose Castillo gets the out call from second base umpire Jerry Crawford for the first half of a double play, but collides with St. Louis runner Hector Luna last night in the third inning. Click photo for larger image.

Apparently, Zach Duke knows about as much about the St. Louis Cardinals as they know about him.

"I haven't faced them, and I haven't done the video work yet," Duke said yesterday afternoon. "I hear they've got a pretty great lineup."

"We haven't seen him, and we haven't even seen video yet," St. Louis outfielder Jim Edmonds said. "The kid's 6-0, though, so he's got to be pretty good, right?"

Both parties are better than pretty good, which could make for quite the collision tonight at PNC Park when Duke, the Pirates' rookie sensation, tries to keep his record perfect while making his first appearance against the National League's most potent lineup.

It figures to be the most formidable challenge of Duke's infant career. St. Louis has the best record in the majors and ranks in the league's top three in batting average, runs and home runs. It also tends to have a blast -- or two or three --at PNC: Albert Pujols has 14 home runs there, more than any opponent, and Edmonds has eight.

At the same time, there is some precedent to indicate it might be the Cardinals facing the greater challenge.

Duke's 1.87 earned run average ranks second among all starters in Major League Baseball to Roger Clemens' 1.53. He has held the opposition to a .250 batting average. He has not allowed a run in five of his first nine starts. And he has been especially hard on left-handed hitters, limiting them to a .161 average (5 for 31) with no extra-base hits and 13 strikeouts.

Whether the opponents have had winning or losing records has been immaterial. Duke is 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA in six starts against winning teams.

MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Sunday's results INDIANAPOLIS (74-56) beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 5-4. LHP Paul Maholm (3.53) allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. He struck out one and walked one. RHP Justin Reid (6.18) pitched two innings of scoreless relief. RF Yurendell DeCaster (.293) went 3 for 5 with four RBIs, including his 11th home run and the winning single in the bottom of the ninth. He also threw out a runner at third base. 1B Graham Koonce (.266) went 3 for 5. ALTOONA (67-61) lost to Reading, 2-1. RHP Eddie Candelario (3-4, 2.98) allowed two runs, one earned, and three hits in eight innings. He struck out three and walked none. 3B Jose Bautista (.281) went 2 for 4 with a double. 2B Craig Stansberry (.229) hit his 14th home run. LYNCHBURG (69-58) lost at Wilmington, 7-5. RHP Wardell Starling (5.16) allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings. DH Pat Magness (.306) went 3 for 5 with his 19th home run. CF Vic Buttler (.300) hit his fifth home run. HICKORY (49-71) lost to Lexington, 6-5. RHP Romulo Sanchez (3-3, 4.20) allowed six runs in five innings. C Neil Walker (.301), SS Brian Bixler (.284) and CF Pedro Powell (.276) each went 3 for 5. DH Antonio Sucre (.262) hit his 10th home run. WILLIAMSPORT (34-26) won at Hudson Valley, 5-3. RHP Derek Antelo (3.54) allowed three runs in six innings. 1B Steve Pearce (.289) went 3 for 4 with a double. BRADENTON (25-25) was off.

Asked if there might come a time when he gets flustered by an opponent or venue, Duke laughs.

"I'm sure it will happen someday," he said. "I guess it's got to."

Because Duke already has exceeded his career high for innings in a season with 165 2/3, the Pirates are planning to limit his work the rest of the way. But it remains unclear how that will be formatted. Manager Lloyd McClendon said he and general manager Dave Littlefield planned to meet "soon" to discuss it, possibly today.

"This is going to be an ongoing evaluation," McClendon said. "Just because we say we're going to do this doesn't mean it's etched in stone."

Whatever management's decision, McClendon said, it will not affect Duke's start tonight. He will not be held to any unusual pitch or inning count.

North Side notches

Oliver Perez made his first Class AAA rehabilitation start last night in Indianapolis. He allowed two runs, both in the first inning, and seven hits in four innings. He struck out three and walked three in a 69-pitch outing. He will make another start for Indianapolis Saturday.

Edmonds, on the importance of Duke to a long-losing franchise such as the Pirates: "Anytime you get good, young players, it's great for the fan base because it gives them something to look forward to. There's a good collection of young talent here. The problem over the years here has been keeping them and letting them grow."

Outfielder Jody Gerut, on the disabled list since Aug. 11 because of irritation in his right knee, might not play the rest of the season. He has engaged in strengthening and flexibility exercises and yesterday described his condition as improved, but he has had no baseball-type activity and has no timetable to return. "It's disappointing, frustrating," Gerut said of missing so much time. "But I can want all I want. I've got to get better."

Outfielder Craig Wilson, out because of a fractured hand, could take batting practice with the team as early as today.