The game: Paul Maholm delivered the pitching, Jose Bautista and Xavier Nady some welcome production in the Pirates' 8-0 rout of the New York Yankees yesterday at McKechnie Field in Bradenton, Fla.

Maholm went six smooth, scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out two. New York brought only a third of its regular lineup -- Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui -- but that did little to lessen Maholm's showing.

Consider that, of those two hits, one was a soft liner that second baseman Luis Rivas let skip off his glove, the other a Matsui squibber through the right side. Maholm promptly picked him off.

Consider, too, that Maholm opened the fifth with two walks and a 2-0 count on the next batter. After a visit from pitching coach Jeff Andrews, he got two groundouts, including an inning-ending double play.

Andrews' advice?

"Stick with the sinker," Andrews recalled.

In the opening series in Atlanta, manager John Russell announced afterward, Maholm will start the third game, behind Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny. Matt Morris will open the next series in Miami, followed by Zach Duke and Snell.

Bautista, lugging a .179 average into the game, had two doubles, three RBIs and was hit by a pitch. Nady, who entered at .154, had two doubles and has reached base in seven of his past 12 plate appearances.

Today: Morris will start against Tampa Bay's Edwin Jackson, 1:05 p.m. in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The pitching schedule after that, adjusted for the rainout Saturday: Snell will make his final spring start tomorrow. Duke, cut off at two innings Saturday, will come back Wednesday and be limited to 80-90 pitches. He also will stay behind for a simulated game Sunday at Pirate City while the team works out in Atlanta. Gorzelanny will pitch Thursday, a day later than scheduled. Maholm will pitch Friday, Morris the spring finale Saturday.

Camp roster: 37, with 20 pitchers, 2 catchers, 9 infielders and 6 outfielders.

Injury update: Second baseman Freddy Sanchez will visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., this morning for a second opinion the Pirates are seeking on Sanchez's inflamed right shoulder. Results are expected tomorrow.

Outfielder Chris Duffy (shoulder) long-tossed at 90 feet and is "feeling a lot better," he said. General manager Neal Huntington said there remains a chance Duffy could be ready for minor-league action to open the season.

Battle lines: Rivas, already a virtual lock for the roster, went 2 for 2 with a sacrifice bunt to raise his average to .349.

"Luis has been doing this all spring," Russell said.

If Sanchez cannot open the season, Rivas clearly is the top choice to play second base. Chris Gomez, the Pirates' top free-agent signing of the winter, would remain a reserve in that case. Gomez is batting .306 after going 2 for 2 off the bench yesterday.

Fun in the sun: Shortstop Jack Wilson still is agonizing over which glove he will use -- he recently borrowed one from defensive whiz Jorge Velandia -- but he made a breathtaking play yesterday, roaming deep into the hole and throwing acrobatically across his body to rob New York's Cody Ransom of a single. The sellout crowd of 5,790 stood and roared for a full minute.

As for the glove process ...

"Still looking," Wilson said.

Inside pitch: Morris, having a trying spring with a 9.00 ERA, had what Russell and Andrews called a highly encouraging side session Saturday in the aftermath of allowing the Yankees 13 hits in four innings in his previous start. He kept all of his pitches down, including the troublesome fastball.

What will count much more, obviously, is if Morris can carry that into his outing today.

Countdown to Atlanta: 7 days.