Rain thwarts Pirates' try to halt losing skid

The Bucs hope to get back on track tonight against the Reds.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- Sometime when it rains, it truly pours.
After being pummeled twice by the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates were hoping to get their bats untracked Thursday at PNC Park.
And with the Bucs' top starter -- Kip Wells (2-1, 1.90 earned-run average) -- scheduled to go against Cubs' ace Kerry Wood (2-1, 3.48), the Pirates' front office was hoping an old-fashioned National League pitching duel would get the turnstiles spinning.
Alas, Mother Nature refused to cooperate. As game time approached, a steady rain forced the Pirates to postpone the game.
The rain out will be made up May 28 as part of a twi-night doubleheader that will begin at 5:05 p.m.
Wells billed tonight
With the unexpected night off, Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon juggled his starting rotation and will send Wells to the mound tonight (7:05 p.m. at PNC Park) to face Cincinnati's Paul Wilson (2-0, 3.32).
Kris Benson (2-0, 2.00) remains Saturday's starter against the Reds' Jimmy Haynes (0-2, 6.25).
Oliver Perez (1-0, 3.09), who was originally scheduled to start tonight, will pitch Sunday against Jose Acevedo (2-0, 3.26).
Ryan Vogelsong (1-2, 9.60) now will pitch Monday evening against the Reds' Aaron Harang (1-0, 3.71).
After sweeping the Mets in a three-game series last weekend at Shea Stadium, the Bucs (7-7) have a two-game losing streak.
Including two games last week at Wrigley Field, the Pirates have lost four straight games to the Cubs, being outscored 39-10.
Shelled this week
This week, the Pirates were shelled 9-1 and 12-1 by their NL Central Division rivals.
Vogelsong was roughed up for four runs in his first inning on Tuesday.
As bad as that outing was, Josh Fogg's was worse on Wednesday as the Cubs scored eight runs in the first inning. That's the first time the Bucs have surrendered that many runs in the opening frame since 1953.
Fogg's unimpressive numbers are an 0-3 record and an ERA of 17.00. He'll next pitch on Tuesday when the Houston Astros come to PNC Park.
McClendon said he's sticking with Fogg for now, but his patience is wearing thin.
Wells' last outing was in last Friday's 7-6 victory over the Mets. After trailing 2-0 to Tom Glavine, the Bucs torched the Mets' bullpen for seven runs in the eighth inning.
Wells' only other appearance at home came on Opening Day when he shut out the Philadelphia Phillies for six innings in a 2-1 victory.
His other game was a 3-1 defeat in Cincinnati on April 10.
williams@vindy.com