CHICAGO -- A frame-by-frame look back at Ian Snell's seven-run start Tuesday night will illustrate, quite clearly, that he was working away from opposing batters: Of the 106 pitches he threw in the Pirates' 16-5 loss, 72 went over the outer part of the plate or outside, 20 went right down the middle, and only 14 were on the inner half of the plate or inside.

Still, Snell's primary issue, as pitching coach Jeff Andrews explained it yesterday, is more a matter of merely throwing strikes.

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Minor-league report

Wednesday's games

INDIANAPOLIS (35-38) was off.

ALTOONA (30-39) was swept in a doubleheader by Reading, 6-4 and 4-1. In the first game, RHP Josh Hill (4-7, 4.22) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. In the nightcap, LHP Kyle Bloom (0-4, 5.59) pitched four scoreless innings and allowed three hits. For the day, RF Brad Corley (.290) went 3 for 7 with a double. CF Chris Duffy (.222) went 1 for 3 with a double.

LYNCHBURG (29-43) lost at Kinston, 6-5. RHP Jared Hughes (2-7, 4.28) allowed one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings. 3B Jim Negrych (.354) went 3 for 5 with a double. RF Eddie Prasch (.307) reached base all five times up, going 2 for 2 with three walks and an RBI.

HICKORY (30-40) was off.

STATE COLLEGE (0-1) was rained out at Jamestown.

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"Pitching inside, throwing inside, that is not the problem," Andrews said. "It's a nice thing to have. It's a nice thing to have as part of your total package, especially as it relates to throwing your fastball to both sides of the plate. You have some pitchers, especially lefties, who never throw inside."

Tom Gorzelanny and John Grabow, for example, are most effective outside.

"They live out there. The hitters know where they're going to throw, but they execute," Andrews said. "I think it's easy to just throw a whole blanket over it and say Ian's not throwing inside. But, if he throws inside and they're balls, now where are we? To me, it's more about being aggressive, pitching in favorable counts and getting the ball to go where he wants it to go, rather than not throwing to this side or that side of the plate."

Some other numbers from Tuesday back Andrews: Snell struck out no one, walked six and threw 50 balls among those 106 pitches.

Doumit has concussion

Catcher Ryan Doumit, diagnosed with a slight concussion after three fouled-off pitches struck his mask Tuesday, was held out of the game last night and will not play today. Doumit was replaced by Raul Chavez in the seventh inning Tuesday -- Jermaine Dye fouled his second pitch off the mask in the bottom of the sixth -- though the reason was not disclosed until yesterday.

Pirates manager John Russell called it a "very cautious" measure and tentatively projected that Doumit could return for the home game tomorrow against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The reason for the caution: Doumit missed four starts to a slight concussion last season, May 27-30, after being struck in the mask by a bat. Concussions can grow more severe with each one.

Breather for Sanchez

Second baseman Freddy Sanchez, his average down to .229 after going 0 for 4 as the designated hitter Tuesday, was out of the lineup altogether last night.

Russell had characterized his use of Sanchez as DH as a "chance to relax," and he mostly reiterated that stance for this move.

"This lets Freddy regroup a little bit," Russell said. "He's played in a lot of games. He'll be back in there for the next one."

Sanchez has been visibly beating himself up this month, and small wonder: He is batting .164 -- 10 for 61 -- in June.

"I'm a .300 hitter who's hitting .220," Sanchez said yesterday. "I'm trying everything I can."

Buried treasure

• Left fielder Jason Bay rejoined the lineup after missing a game to a stomach virus.

• Right fielder Xavier Nady's bruised left shoulder "improved," he said, but he did not swing a bat and will not do so today, either. It remains to be seen how that might affect whether or not the Pirates place him on the disabled list, especially with Doumit out, too.

• The Pirates will honor Roberto Clemente for making the Rawlings Gold Glove All-Time Team last year by presenting his family -- wife Vera and sons Roberto Jr. and Luis -- with a trophy before the game Saturday. Roberto Jr. will throw the ceremonial first pitch.