Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Jose Hernandez slides safely into third for a triple as Brandon Inge is late with the tag last night at PNC Park.

Not long before managing at PNC Park for the first time yesterday, Jim Leyland made no secret of his undying loyalties.

Among his comments: "I'm a Pirate. Always will be."

A few hours later, after watching his Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball's finest, narrowly escape a flurry from the last-place home team, 7-6, he sounded very much the part.

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"I can see exactly what Tony La Russa and Ozzie Guillen and a lot of other people have said about this team," Leyland said. "They go up there, they swing the bats, they're aggressive, have a good two-strike approach. ... I was impressed, to be honest with you."

He paused.

"In this one, like us, they were a victim of the starting pitching."

To say the least.

Kip Wells lasted only 2 1/3 innings and was charged with all of the Tigers' runs as they leapt to a 7-1 lead.

Detroit's Kenny Rogers, despite a 10-3 record, was little better. Jose Bautista's three runs -- on his 10th home run, a triple and a hit batsman -- helped the Pirates claw back within 7-5 in chasing Rogers after 4 1/3.

From there, it became a battle of bullpens.

The Pirates' relievers, despite toiling three or more innings 11 games in a row now, were outstanding. Jonah Bayliss went 2 2/3 without a run in his Pittsburgh debut. Matt Capps, Salomon Torres, Damaso Marte, Robert Hernandez and Mike Gonzalez also held one of the sport's most potent offenses at bay.

"Our bullpen was terrific," manager Jim Tracy said after expending everyone except John Grabow. "And they've been pretty damn good all year long."

Detroit was similarly effective, not allowing an earned run after Rogers left.

"We've got some quality arms down there," Tigers bullpen coach Lloyd McClendon said after he, too, made his return to Pittsburgh.

Even so, two miscues by first baseman Chris Shelton -- the player the Pirates errantly released in 2003 because of doubts about his defense -- nearly altered the outcome.

With two outs in the eighth, Mike Edwards reached first base when Shelton was unable to take a throw from reliever Joel Zumaya. Jose Hernandez tripled to the right corner to pull the Pirates within a run.

Ronny Paulino followed with a hard liner destined for the left-center gap, but center fielder Curtis Granderson sprinted over and made an outstanding diving catch.

"How did he get that ball?" Paulino asked, shaking his head.

There was another close call in the ninth against Detroit closer Todd Jones.

Pinch-hitter Jeromy Burnitz started it with a routine grounder to short, but Shelton failed to corral Carlos Guillen's throw. After Bautista popped up trying to bunt -- Shelton squeezed this one -- Jack Wilson singled to put men on first and second.

But Sean Casey flied out to left, and Jason Bay, batting .232 with men in scoring position, bounced out to third for a fielder's choice to bring a groan from the 27,318 on hand and a 23rd one-run defeat.

It was no small feat, hanging with Detroit. The Tigers have won 18 of 21 to pile on to their 55-25 record, and 10 of those victories in that stretch have been by four or more runs.

"We never hang our heads," Capps said. "And that's how it's been all year: We get into some trouble early on, but we get back into it, no matter what the score is, no matter who we're facing."

"It was a tremendous comeback," Tracy said. "And it's a tremendous effort when you consider how the early part of the game went."

Wells had a 1-2-3 first and looked as if he might find more of the spurts of effectiveness shown in Los Angeles last weekend.

But eight of his next 11 batters reached safely -- seven hits and a hit batsman -- and seven scored. That included back-to-back home runs to left field by Marcus Thames and Shelton in the second, and Guillen's two-run triple in the next inning that prompted Tracy to make a change.

Wells, 0-3 with a 15.19 ERA since rejoining the rotation after blood-clot surgery, again worked ahead of hitters only to fall behind.

Thames, for example, had two quick strikes, then fouled off three pitches while working the count to 2-2, then lined the eighth offering into the base of the rotunda.

"This club, when you do that, they put the ball in play," Tracy said of Wells showing too many pitches. "And they hit it hard."

Wells continued to show low velocity, too. He hit no higher than 93 mph on the gun, about 3 mph below his typical peak.

"I'm not getting the life on the ball like I'm used to," he said. "But there are plenty of pitchers throwing 90. It's just a matter for me to figure out what's wrong and right the ship as soon as possible."