Was that really Matt Capps?

It was not so much jarring that the Pirates' closer visited the PNC Park clubhouse yesterday morning and engaged in a tossing session before resuming his minor league rehabilitation. Rather, it was how much less of him was there.

---

Minor-league report

Monday's games

INDIANAPOLIS (62-68) beat Durham, 9-8. LHP Corey Hamman (3-3, 5.20) allowed five runs and seven hits in five-plus innings. RHP John Van Benschoten (4.07) pitched two innings of scoreless relief. RF Jose Bautista (.500) hit his second home run in as many nights, a two-run shot, and went 3 for 4 with a double, walk and three RBIs. He also threw out a runner at second base. 1B Jason Delaney (.233) hit the winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth and went 0 for 1 with three walks. CF Andrew McCutchen (.279) went 1 for 5 with a double. 3B Neil Walker (.237) went 1 for 5.

ALTOONA (58-71) was off.

LYNCHBURG (49-77) was off.

HICKORY (47-80) beat Kannapolis, 3-2. RHP Rafael De Los Santos (3-9, 6.00) allowed two runs and two hits in five innings. C Ronald Pena (.253) went 3 for 4 with a double.

STATE COLLEGE (11-45) was off.

BRADENTON (32-17) lost to the Twins, 8-2. RHP Gabriel Alvarado (4-2, 3.43) allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. RHP Brent Klinger (0.71) pitched a scoreless inning of relief. 2B Adenson Chourio (.337) went 3 for 4 with a steal.

---

"Lost 15 pounds," he said with a wide smile.

It did not happen by accident.

Capps acknowledged for the first time that he was above his optimal weight upon reporting to spring training, and that it contributed to the right shoulder bursitis that has kept him on the disabled list since July 2. Once the injury happened, Capps and general manager Neal Huntington discussed taking advantage of Capps' rehabilitation time in Bradenton, Fla., to improve his conditioning, and he evidently followed through.

"It's something that won't happen again," Capps said. "I think it affected my throwing, my ability to be at my best, and I've learned from this."

Capps' official listing is 6 feet 2, 255 pounds, but he is down to 240 now. He has a naturally thick build, so any more than that might be too much in terms of affecting his strength.

His next appearance will be Wednesday with Class AA Altoona, after which he tentatively is scheduled to join the Pirates Friday in Milwaukee.

Left fielder Brandon Moss could return for that series in Milwaukee after tests yesterday morning showed significant improvement in his sprained left ankle, including reduced swelling. He will be held out tonight and tomorrow in St. Louis, then take advantage of the free day Thursday before returning.

"Big relief," Moss said.

Injured starter Phil Dumatrait returned to Pittsburgh for the first time since the Aug. 8 surgery to relieve stress in his left shoulder, and he will rehabilitate at PNC Park the next two months.

"I'm disappointed," Dumatrait said of the injury. "I feel like I was kind of establishing myself with how I was throwing the ball, but the problem lingered and ... well, now, I'm just looking forward to coming back 100 percent for spring training. I know how I pitched when I was healthy, and I can hang onto that."

He went 3-4 with a 5.26 ERA, most of the damage done after his shoulder began hurting in June.

The throwing program will begin in October, with full-scale pitching by the January minicamp.

• There will be no change in the starting rotation, at least through Sunday.

• Outfielder Chris Duffy is expected to be activated on Indianapolis' roster and played his first game there last night.

• The crowd of 19,066 brought a PNC Park four-game series attendance record of 129,473. The previous mark was set in 2001.

• New York manager Jerry Manuel was ejected in the third inning for arguing first base umpire Joe West's call that Argenis Reyes had turned too much to the left of the baseline after reaching on a fielder's choice. Catcher Ryan Doumit, who backed up a wild throw on the relay, tagged Reyes.