"After the way the Pirates' recent homestand ended, it's easy to forget how it started ? a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds highlighted by back-to-back dramatic, walk-off wins.

Lastings Milledge, who's nestled into the No. 3 spot in the batting order, was a big part of both of those.

In the first game of the series, he singled in the winning run on the seventh pitch he faced, after falling behind in the count, 1-2. Then, the next night, with two outs and the bases loaded, he kept his patience and allowed Francisco Cordero to walk in the tying run.

"It's another level you go to in a pressure situation, definitely," Milledge said of the approach when the game is on the line in the ninth inning. "During the early innings, you kind of play what they give you. If you have a guy on first, you make sure you get him over. You don't want to swing at pitches too early in the count early in the game. When it's later in the game and you need a run you might be swinging at the first pitch because that might be a pitch you can drive out of the ballpark and get the game over with."

Three of the Pirates' seven wins going into this weekend's series at Houston were walk-offs. Ronny Cedeno had a walk-off base hit to score Milledge in the Bucs' 10-inning, 4-3 win over the Dodgers the second game of the season.

Milledge said the situation not only calls for a different strategic approach, but also a different mental approach."