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	Ric Francis, Associated Press Pirates pitcher Kip Wells works against the Dodgers yesterday in Los Angeles. Click photo for larger image. MINOR-LEAGUE REPORT Sunday's results INDIANAPOLIS (40-34) and Richmond were suspended by rain. ALTOONA (43-30) won at Akron, 3-0. RHP Wardell Starling (1-0, 4.50) pitched five scoreless innings and allowed three hits. 2B Craig Stansberry (.254) hit his 10th home run. LYNCHBURG (35-40) and Myrtle Beach were suspended by rain. HICKORY (34-39) lost to Greenville, 12-2. RHP Kyle Pearson (3-3, 5.43) allowed five runs in five innings. RF Brad Corley (.303) had a two-run double. CF Andrew McCutchen (.274) went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. WILLIAMSPORT (2-3) lost at Mahoning Valley, 8-4. RHP Jared Hughes (0-1, 4.50) allowed three runs in four innings. RF Greg Smith went 2 for 4 with a double and three runs.

LOS ANGELES -- Slumps in baseball have a tendency to confound even those closest to the matter.

Why no big hits?

Why so sloppy?

Where is the energy?

At the core, though, the lousy streaks tend to share the same traits as the good ones: They go as the starting pitching goes.

When the Pirates had their 12-7 run May 26-June 14, the starters were 8-5 with a 4.72 ERA and averaged six innings per outing. Not exactly Cy Young material, but good enough on most days.

During the current 11-game losing streak that has followed, the starters are 0-8 with a 7.63 ERA and average 5 1/3 innings per outing.

The Pirates are 19-21 when the starter goes six, 7-29 when he does not.

"All the pitchers are young, and they need to mature," manager Jim Tracy said. "Oliver Perez is 24 and, behind him, you had three starters in Ian Snell, Paul Maholm and Zach Duke who had 27 major-league starts coming into this season. Adversity finds its way to every player, and the adjustments you make to overcome it become a very intriguing thing, because you get to find out the kind of individual you have."

That, as a result, has taxed the bullpen to the point that Roberto Hernandez, Salomon Torres and Matt Capps, who generally have been used in late innings to protect leads, had been forced into regular mop-up duty.

"You can't keep doing that and expect to win," Tracy said. "We need to get some quality innings out of some people. The last thing I want to do is bring in someone like Torres when we're down by a lot of runs."

If there is a shake-up coming -- the sentiment in that regard seems to grow daily -- it likely will be with the rotation, if only because the player at Class AAA Indianapolis who is deemed most ready for the majors is starter Tom Gorzelanny.

Bradenton update

The latest on the players rehabilitating long-term injuries in Bradenton, Fla.:

Catcher Ryan Doumit (torn hamstring) is doing light exercising without pain, but there is no timetable for him to resume baseball-type activities.

Starter John Van Benschoten (shoulder surgery) was shut down three weeks ago and has yet to return to the mound, but he could do so early next month.

Starter Bryan Bullington (shoulder) is throwing bullpen sessions, but the team wants to see greater velocity before it will allow him to pitch in games.

Buried treasure

The Pirates have lost 23 of 28 to the Dodgers, 11 of 12 in Los Angeles.

With Nate McLouth going 1 for 5 with three strikeouts yesterday, the Pirates are batting .208 out of the leadoff spot this season. That is 24 points lower than any team in the majors.

Third baseman Freddy Sanchez's single in the fifth inning extended his hitting streak to 10 and he is 20 for 50 in that time.

The updated All-Star voting will be announced this afternoon. The deadline to vote is Thursday.