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Eric Risberg, Associated Press Pirates closing pitcher Mike Gonzalez, left, is greeted by second baseman Jose Castillo, right, after the Pirates beat the San Francisco Giants, 2-0, yesterday. Click photo for larger image. 
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Matchup: Pirates (Paul Maholm 2-5) vs. Giants (Jason Schmidt 6-2), 4:05 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO -- For all the shortcomings the Pirates have had at all levels of the organization in the past decade, perhaps none stands out like the lack of power.
With few exceptions, their pitchers have been finesse and funk, their hitters gap-to-gap.
But there have been signs of late that the trend is reversing, perhaps none more singularly striking -- or satisfying -- than the 2-0 shutout of the San Francisco Giants yesterday at AT&T Park.
"A terrific win," manager Jim Tracy said. "Very encouraging."
For more reasons than one, no doubt.
Ian Snell went seven strong innings to improve his staff-best record to 7-3 and win for the fifth time in as many starts, the first Pirates pitcher to achieve that since Sean Burnett in June-July 2004. He was erratic early, but he leaned on 95-mph heat to shake it off.
Which is precisely what separates a power pitcher from the rest.
Jose Castillo and Jose Bautista each lined flat changeups by San Francisco starter Noah Lowry into the left-field bleachers -- the former in the second inning, the latter in the sixth -- to make the most of the team's four hits and account for all the offense.
Which is precisely the type of impact power hitters can have.
Snell is 24, Castillo and Bautista are 25.
"It's very important to have power," general manager Dave Littlefield said. "No question about it."
Of Snell, he said, "It can't be just about the fastball for any pitcher. At the same time, from a pure reaction standpoint for the hitter, having that velocity is certainly a benefit."
Of the hitters: "The way you score runs is to get guys on base and hit home runs. Castillo's had a nice run, and we're hopeful he can grow from that. Bautista's not a big guy, but he can drive the ball."
Castillo's home run was his ninth, two shy of his career high.
"Everything feels good at the plate," he said. "The home runs, too."
Bautista wiped away a 2-for-17 slide with the home run, his fifth in only 80 at-bats.
"I'm not really trying to hit home runs, but I feel I'm able to do it," he said. "Today, their pitcher made a mistake -- the same pitch to me and Castillo -- and it went out."
Others among the Pirates' youngsters, including center fielder Nate McLouth, have provided hope for more pop in the future.
Still, the team's most glowing example of power this season -- and progress -- has come on the mound with Snell's recent work.
Yesterday, he walked two batters in a 29-pitch, 14-ball first inning, after which pitching coach Jim Colborn advised him of a mechanical flaw. Then, when Snell walked Ray Durham to lead off the second, Colborn visited the mound to instruct him, basically, not to be so mechanical.
"I told him to forget what I told him, that he already had fixed the problem," Colborn recalled. "I said, 'Go get 'em.' "
Snell would not walk another and gave up only three hits in all. He finished with five strikeouts, three of those swinging through fastballs.
"He's got pretty good stuff," San Francisco manager Felipe Alou said. "Throws hard. Has a good breaking ball. And we haven't been hitting."
The previous night, Victor Santos and the bullpen stifled the Giants, 3-2, on seven hits.
Snell was 58-20 in the minors and is beginning to carry that winning trait into the majors, in large part, he allows, because he now has solutions for trying situations.
And, of course, that fastball.
"Before, when I would struggle, I was just kind of grooving the ball to locate it," Snell said. "Now, I'm just going after guys right out of the gate and maintaining that."
Roberto Hernandez relieved Snell to open the eighth for the game's only suspenseful sequence.
After one out, Randy Winn doubled off the wall in center, then took third on Omar Vizquel's sharp single to right. Tracy summoned Damaso Marte to face left-handed Steve Finley. Marte's 1-0 pitch was a low fastball that Finley bounced right to shortstop Jack Wilson for a 6-4-3 double play.
"All I was thinking about there is a ground ball," Marte said.
Mike Gonzalez's 10th save came with an assist from Castillo, who, with a man aboard, recorded the final out by ranging to shallow left field for a diving, backhand stab of Pedro Feliz's flare.
For the team, it brought the first back-to-back road wins all season. A victory today, and the Pirates would have their first road series victory and a 4-3 trip, this after a 7-3 homestand.
"That would be very nice," Tracy said. "It would be another step in the right direction."
