3. The hole story

April 26 vs. St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium

Can a season really end in April? The Pirates found out on this blustery day under the big Arch. This particularly painful 4-3 loss -- one in which Jose Hernandez's ninth-inning, two-out home run had tied the score -- ended an 0-7 road trip and plunged the overall record to 5-18. That matched the worst start in the franchise's 120 years. "It's no fun," Zach Duke said that day.

2. Fly ball, anyone?

June 19 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, PNC Park

Bottom of the ninth, tied score, bases loaded, nobody out. Routine contact, and the Pirates win. Instead, Jeromy Burnitz, Freddy Sanchez and Jose Castillo each strikes out swinging, and Arizona takes it, 5-4, in 11th. Weeks later, owner Kevin McClatchy would single it out when criticizing the team: "I especially don't take satisfaction in one-run losses when you have bases loaded and nobody out and you don't get that run across. That's just ... not good."

1. How low?

June 22 vs. Kansas City Royals, Kaufmann Stadium

The ugliest piece -- by far -- of what would become a modern-record 13-game losing streak. The Pirates committed two errors and a passed ball, walked seven and hit two batters in a 15-7 loss to the only team in Major League Baseball with a worse record. That capped a three-game Kansas City sweep. "Rock bottom," manager Jim Tracy would say months later. "No question."

3. Two for one

May 27 vs. Houston Astros, PNC Park

It was the longest game played on Pittsburgh soil, lasting five hours, 49 minutes, a night when 45 of 50 players were used and 595 pitches thrown. And at 12:55 a.m., in the 18th inning, it ended dramatically in favor of the beleaguered home side when Jason Bay leveled Houston catcher Eric Munson to score on a sacrifice fly for an 8-7 triumph. "It was one of those games you'll never forget," Bay said in the aftermath.

2. Fred-dy! Fred-dy!

Aug. 30 vs. Chicago Cubs, PNC Park

Back-to-back 11th inning victories? When the Pirates gave up runs in the top of the 11th each time? Unthinkable in the first half, but a reality on a wild afternoon in which the game's 40th hit was Sanchez's jab just over the glove of Chicago first baseman Derrek Lee for a two-run single. The Pirates won, 10-9, and carried the good feeling into a season-best 15-6 stretch. "He's a winner, man," Tracy said of Sanchez.

1. They loved L.A.

Sept. 20 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, Dodger Stadium

On the heels of a three-game sweep of New York that prevented the Mets from clinching a division title in Pittsburgh, the Pirates took the first two from a desperate Los Angeles team. An almost methodical effort was highlighted by Sanchez's 4-for-5 night and 6 2/3 strong innings from Shawn Chacon. And the mood in the clubhouse afterward was unlike any all season. "It feels like no one can put us down," Jose Bautista said.