LOS ANGELES -- Don Long, the Pirates' freshly scarred hitting coach, was counting his blessings as well as his stitches yesterday.

"I'm feeling very lucky right now," he said. "When I think about what could have happened there, yeah, I'm lucky."

Nate McLouth's bat broke when he doubled in the eighth inning Tuesday night, and Long, watching the ball head toward the right-field corner, never saw the bat. It whirled toward the Pirates' dugout, and the splintered end went full-force into Long's left cheek.

Less than 2 inches below the eye.

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Minor-league report

Wednesday's games

INDIANAPOLIS (10-4) lost to Pawtucket, 4-3, in 11 innings. RHP Luis Munoz (1-0, 3.78) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked none. RHP Marino Salas (0.00) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out three. CF Andrew McCutchen (.240) hit his third home run and went 1 for 5. RF Steve Pearce (.263) went 1 for 4 with a walk. DH Craig Wilson (.167) went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a hit batsman.

ALTOONA (5-8) won at Trenton, 8-7. RHP Jimmy Barthmaier (1-0, 7.07) allowed six runs and six hits in four innings. RHP Pat Bresnehan (2.00) picked up a three-inning save, his first, allowing a run and two hits. CF James Boone (.273) hit his second home run and went 3 for 5 with two doubles.

LYNCHBURG (4-8) lost to Potomac, 4-3. RHP Jared Hughes (0-3, 4.02) allowed three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. SS Brian Friday (.350) went 2 for 3 with a walk and an RBI.

HICKORY (8-6) lost to Lexington, 5-4. RHP Emilis Guerrero (0-0, 4.50) allowed two runs and seven hits in four innings. DH Tom Hagan (.296) went 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and two RBIs

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Long was rushed to the clubhouse, where athletic trainer Brad Henderson worked to stop the significant bleeding. Soon, Long would need to have a wood splinter removed from the cheek, then 10 stitches to close it.

"All I did was watch Nate's hit," he said. "I never had any idea the bat was coming."

The broken bat hardly was an anomaly. People across baseball have noticed the trend rising exponentially in recent seasons, and it has been a regular topic early in this one.

Most blame the increased use of maple bats -- more than half of all players now -- which hitters like because they are lighter and offer better swing speed and because, in some players' eyes, the ball jumps off them better. Trouble is, the maple bats -- unlike the ash that was used by nearly everyone until this decade -- break rather easily.

Some pitchers, like Atlanta rookie Jair Jurrjens, who cost the Pirates a mint in new equipment April 2, deliberately attack the inside of the plate to break those bats.

"It's unbelievable how many there are right now," Long said. "And it's not just inside pitches. I'm seeing guys hit the ball squarely on the barrel, and the bat just explodes."

McLouth, whose bat is maple, broke another in his first at-bat last night.

"It's amazing how those maple bats just explode," manager John Russell said. "Ever since they brought those into baseball ... I know guys like them, but they are dangerous because they explode. They can go as far as the outfield. It's a sharp projectile flying through the air. It's scary. ... I think probably they are going to look into it because you would hate for someone to really get injured."

Outfielder Chris Duffy, on the 15-day disabled list because of lingering discomfort in his surgically repaired left shoulder, was given a cortisone shot to alleviate recent pain and will not resume throwing until the coming weekend.

There remains no target date for his return to game action.

"We will have a better feel for his return-to-play plan once he begins to throw again next week," general manager Neal Huntington said.

Duffy was throwing all spring, but he had a setback in the extended spring program, and the team sent him to Dr. Lewis Yocum, the man who performed the surgery, for a follow-up examination in Los Angeles. Yocum administered the shot Tuesday.

• Shortstop Jack Wilson began doing agility exercises on his progressing left calf injury. He will fly to Florida today for more rehabilitation, then join a minor-league affiliate -- Class AAA Indianapolis or Class AA Altoona -- early next week for two or three games.

• Sean Burnett finally was charged with a run as a reliever. He had a spotless ERA in eight relief appearances in spring training and carried that into his first five appearances for Indianapolis. Yesterday, he gave up a single to Pawtucket's first batter in the 11th inning and was replaced by Mike Thompson, who allowed that runner to score the winning run.

• Several players engaged in an early afternoon session of football in the Dodger Stadium outfield, including closer Matt Capps, who quarterbacked his high school team in Georgia, and outfielder Nyjer Morgan, who, judging by some of his catches, looks as if he could play any sport.