Worth noting

• Michael McKenry spent early-afternoon drills taking grounders at second base and from there making throws to first. No, he is not looking for a Russell Martin-like moonlighting at a different position -- the drills were intended to have the catcher regain confidence in his arm by throwing under different circumstances.

"Just different throwing techniques to help him with the throwing mechanics:" Hurdle said. "Get him out of that mentality of being behind the plate and put him in a different environment. Hopefully it frees, tightens and sharpens him up."

• The Pirates' win Tuesday night was their first since at least 1964 in a game in which they had gone 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position; the Elias Sports Bureau's data does not revert past 1964.

The last MLB team to win under those conditions was Hurdle's Rockies in 2008, under remarkably similar circumstances, as they beat the Reds by the same score (4-3) in a game of the same duration (12 innings) despite being 0-for-16 with men in scoring position.

• Not only did Brandon Inge make his first big league appearance at short Tuesday night after John McDonald was shelved by lower-back stiffness, but he was the middle man in a 12th-inning double play.

"Like riding a bike," the 35-year-old veteran said, sheepishly.