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Teams overall record: 48-58 (0.453)

Wednesday, July 31, 2002

Compiled by Paul Meyer

Rockies vs. Pirates, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park. TV: Fox Sports Net. Radio: KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network. RHP Denny Stark (6-2) will start for the Rockies, RHP Josh Fogg (10-7) for the Pirates.

The Pirates last night sent right-handed reliever Mike Lincoln to Class AAA Nashville for the second time this season and purchased the contract of RHP Brian Meadows from the Sounds. Meadows will start against Colorado tomorrow night, with Jimmy Anderson and Kip Wells moving back a day each. This also means LHP Joe Beimel will move back into the bullpen. "This is not leading into something else," General Manager Dave Littlefield said, mindful that today at 4 p.m. is the non-waiver trading deadline. However, there were rumors last night that LHP Scott Sauerbeck might be on the way to the San Francisco Giants. And Littlefield said, "Potentially there are things that can get done." He added, though, that he "wouldn't anticipate anything major." Meadows was 9-8 with a 4.27 earned run average in 22 starts. He has previous major-league service time with Florida, San Diego and Kansas City and was released by Minnesota in spring training. "He's been very durable," Littlefield said. "He pitched fairly effectively at Nashville. He has an average fastball. He throws strikes. He's a competitive guy." Meadows, 26, last pitched on Saturday against Las Vegas. He allowed 13 hits and six earned runs in 6 2/3 innings.

One trade that didn't get done -- and won't -- was that Jason Kendall-for-Denny Neagle trade with Colorado. Those talks, which went on for some time, ended almost three weeks ago. Like Kendall, Neagle would have had to OK the trade. "I was definitely considering it," Neagle said. "It would have been a joint decision with me and my wife and the family. That's the tough thing. All her family is out there [near Denver]. But I played here [with the Pirates]. I liked it here. I still like it here." Neagle also said a few weeks ago that he'd only consider approving a trade to a contending team. "That's right," he said, "but [the Pirates] are not that far away [from contending]. They need a couple of pieces. The thing is, I would have preferred [the trade] not been for Jason Kendall. He caught me when he was first up, and we clicked right away. It would have been fun to throw to him again."

Instead of acquiring Kendall, the Rockies obtained catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. Monday from the Chicago White Sox. Alomar, 36, joined the Rockies yesterday and probably will start tonight. The Rockies' plan is to have Alomar catch four games a week. Alomar will wear uniform No. 25. The only other two Colorado personnel to wear that number were Don Baylor and Buddy Bell, both managers.

Pirates Manager Lloyd McClendon on the first-place St. Louis Cardinals acquiring third baseman Scott Rolen from the Philadelphia Phillies Monday: "Pretty impressive deal for them. They just got a lot better. Anybody will be hard-pressed to catch those guys now."

Through Monday night, center fielder Adrian Brown had a .419 batting average after 18 games with Class AAA Nashville. Are the Pirates considering bringing him back? "He's starting to swing the bat a little better," McClendon said. So is that a yes or a no? "I'm always looking for ways to make our club better," McClendon said. Outfielder Armando Rios, hitting .244 in 13 games for Nashville on his rehab assignment, can rejoin the Pirates this weekend. Will he? "He's making progress," McClendon said.

Denny Stark, scheduled to start tonight for Colorado, has held opposing batters to a .227 average. This will be his fourth road start. In the previous three, he allowed 13 earned runs in 14 1/3 innings. With six victories, Stark and fellow rookie Jason Jennings (10 wins) lead the National League in combined rookie victories (16).

NASHVILLE (53-56) beat Las Vegas, 2-1, in 10 innings. Starter Matt Gurrier allowed seven hits, a walk and a run and struck out seven in seven innings. RF Adrian Brown had three hits, hiking his batting average to .419. CF Tike Redman and 1B Mandy Romero each had three hits. C Humberto Cota had two hits.

ALTOONA (57-51) beat Akron, 11-1, for its sixth win in its past seven games. Starter Justin Reid (9-5) allowed five hits, no walks and a run and struck out eight in eight innings. 3B Joe Caruso had three hits and an RBI. C John Pachot had two doubles and three RBIs. LF Shawn Garrett had a double and three RBIs.

LYNCHBURG (68-39) won at Winston-Salem, 8-6, in 12 innings. Starter Sean Burnett allowed eight hits, no walks and four runs in seven innings. LF Josh Bonifay had three hits and scored three runs. RF Luis Landaeta had two hits and two RBIs. SS Jose Castillo had two hits and his 19th stolen base.

HICKORY (63-45) beat Greensboro, 10-0. Starter Ian Oquendo (8-5) allowed six hits and two walks and struck out eight in six innings. 2B Jeff Keppinger had three hits, including two doubles, and an RBI. DH Walter Young and 3B Jose Bautista each had two hits and two RBIs.

WILLIAMSPORT (25-16) lost to Mahoning Valley, 7-5. Starter Nicholas Gravelle (5-1) allowed nine hits, two walks and six runs in five innings. 1B Brad Eldred hit a two-run home run, his seventh. CF Chaz Lytle had two hits, including a double. 2B Mike Collum had two hits.

BRADENTON (25-11) beat the Red Sox, 3-2, for its sixth consecutive win. Starter Zach Duke (5-0) allowed three hits, no walks and a run and struck out 11 in five innings. 1B Tim Brown had two hits, including a triple, and an RBI. DH Mike Arbinger had two hits, including a double, and an RBI.