Consider how the beginning of this season went for former first round pick, and former starting pitcher, Sean Burnett:

• He didn't come north with the club out of spring training, serving as the team's final cut March 28, of which he told the Post-Gazette, "I'm furious ... It's frustrating and disappointing."

He began the season in Class AAA Indianapolis and was relegated to the bullpen where he performed solidly (1-1, 1.04 ERA with three saves in 17¹/₃ innings pitched). He was promoted May 4, where he hit a wall, allowing 13 earned runs in his first 13 games with the Pirates.

"It was awful, terrible," Burnett said. "I embarrassed myself with the way I pitched."

After considering how it all began this year, consider where he's come:

• He's become one of the team's most reliable relievers. Since the All-Star break, Burnett has yielded only three earned runs in 13 appearances.

• He had five consecutive scoreless outings heading into last night.

• He gained enough confidence in his changeup to throw it for the first time in a game Thursday against Cincinnati and retired all six Cincinnati Reds he faced.

So, to what does he owe this resurgence?

"A couple of things, really," Burnett said. "I got a call from [Indianapolis manager ] Trent Jewett when I first came back up and wasn't throwing well, and he got into me. He told me I was better than the way I was throwing. It wasn't pretty, he laid into me, and, after I hung up the phone, I wanted to run through a wall."

At the behest of Pirates pitching coach Jeff Andrews, Burnett also shifted sides of the rubber the day he got that call from Jewett in mid-June. Throughout his career, Burnett had pitched from the first-base side of the rubber, but since mid-June has been beginning his delivery from the third-base side with marvelous results.

There has been one more component.

"My son [first born Sebastian Drew] was born at the same time I was told I wasn't going to be with the big club for opening day," Burnett said. "As devastating as everything was at the time, there in my arms was my child, and it put everything into perspective. When I look back, years from now, I can tell my son, 'Hey, when you were born, I was in a situation that was tough as ever and I fought through it. Let that be an example to you on how to overcome obstacles."

Jason Michaels was in the starting lineup last night, playing right field and batting seventh.At manager John Russell's pregame media gathering, questions arose about Pearce's lack of power at the major league level. In 116 major league at-bats between last year and this year, Pearce has not homered, even though he hit 34 home runs at various minor league levels last season.

"I'm not worried about home runs from him," Russell said. "We are just trying to get a consistent approach from him. Consistent from at-bat to at-bat. He's still very young in his development."

• Closer Matt Capps will throw two innings tomorrow in Indianapolis, and after that, said Russell, the date of Capps' return will be reevaluated.

• Tyrel Hill watched batting practice from the field last night as the team's guest. Hill, 12, survived a September stabbing in Penn Hills. His older brother, Troy, has been charged. Tyrel's twin brother, Tyron, died in the incident.