MIAMI -- The Pirates, burdened by too many injured infielders, shelved one shortstop and promoted another.

Jack Wilson, unable to play since Thursday because of a strained left calf, was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday before the series finale against the Florida Marlins, and prospect Brian Bixler was promoted from Class AAA Indianapolis.

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Minor-league report

Sunday's games

• INDIANAPOLIS (2-2) won at Pawtucket, 5-4. RHP Luis Munoz (0-0, 4.50) allowed two runs and two hits in four innings. He struck out two, walked seven and threw 43 of 83 pitches for strikes. RHP Marino Salas (0.00) pitched two scoreless innings with two hits and two strikeouts. RF Steve Pearce (.176) went 2 for 5 with a double. 3B Neil Walker (.200) went 1 for 3 with a double, walk and RBI. CF Andrew McCutchen (.143) went 0 for 5.
• ALTOONA (1-3) beat Reading, 3-2. RHP Yoslan Herrera (0-0, 3.00) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked three. RF Brad Corley (.467) went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI.
• LYNCHBURG (1-2) won at Frederick, 9-3. RHP Mike Crotta (1-0, 4.26) did not allow a hit in 6 1/3 innings but was charged with three runs. He struck out two and walked two. LF Jared Keel (.154) hit his first home run and went 2 for 5 with three RBIs.
• HICKORY (3-1) swept a doubleheader from West Virginia, winning each game, 1-0. In the first game, RHP Dustin Molleken (0-0, 0.00) pitched six scoreless innings, allowing two hits. In the nightcap, LHP Mike Felix (0-0, 0.00) pitched three scoreless, hitless innings.

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The daily uncertainty of second baseman Freddy Sanchez's right shoulder was the deciding factor. Wilson might have been ready later this week, but ...

"With Freddy the way he is now, we just couldn't carry two like this," manager John Russell said. "We need some guys we can get out in the field. Plus, this gives Jack a chance to come back completely healthy."

"I understand," Wilson said. "We're all in this together, and this wasn't going to work."

For Wilson, the placement on the disabled list was a first in his eight-year, 1,000-game career.

"When they told me, I was ... not surprised that it happened, but it was more like, 'I can't believe it's happened.' I don't like to see the streak end, but those were the circumstances."

Wilson is eligible to return April 19, the second game of a weekend series in Chicago. His plan in the interim is to begin light exercising the next couple of days, then report to Indianapolis for a rehabilitation stint, perhaps next week.

While there, he said, he also can try to figure out his 1-for-12 start at the plate.

"It will be a good chance to be ready all around."

Sanchez, who pinch-hit yesterday but did not start all weekend, reported "encouraging" progress with the shoulder. He could start the home opener today.

Bixler arrived at Dolphin Stadium about 40 minutes before the first pitch and struck out swinging in his first major-league at-bat, as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.

Russell said Bixler will get plenty of playing time at shortstop while Wilson is out -- "We're not bringing him up to sit him," he said -- as had been management's stated plan in the offseason. But Bixler surely will have to hit better than he did in the spring, when he was 2 for 18 with six strikeouts and often looked lost.

Jason Bay and Adam LaRoche, the Pirates' struggling Nos. 3 and 4 hitters, were benched for the first time, but not necessarily for obvious reasons.

Russell said he had aimed to give Bay the day off, anyway, as part of a season-long plan to keep his knees fresh. Bay's right knee was wrapped in ice yesterday.

"It's going to look like I'm doing this because of how things have gone for him," Russell said. "That's not the case."

LaRoche has what the team is calling "tenderness" in his right thumb, the result of a swing Thursday in Atlanta.

"He's been cheating a little on his swing since then," Russell said. "He tried to fight through it."

Both should start today.

• Hanley Ramirez's sixth-inning steal off Ian Snell and Ryan Doumit -- there was no throw on the play -- was the first the Pirates have allowed. It also was the first attempt.

• Florida's Alfredo Amezaga made two exceptional catches in center field, including one in the seventh, when he crashed into the fence to rob Sanchez of a bases-loaded hit.

• Sean Burnett, the Pirates' final cut of spring training, pitched two more scoreless innings for Indianapolis -- no hits, a strikeout and a walk -- yesterday in Pawtucket, R.I. He had a scoreless inning Saturday.