"Coach Tony Beasley has been doing batting drills with the pitching staff for the past week or so. Zach Duke is his best pupil.

This afternoon, Duke smacked a pair of doubles, one each off Astros ace Roy Oswalt and closer candidate Brandon Lyon. Pretty good results, considering they was Duke's first two at-bats in a game this spring.

"I take a lot of pride in possibly helping myself (at the plate)," Duke said.

The Pirates got seven hits, including two by Duke. In the third, Duke got the Pirates' first hit, a looping double to left off Oswalt.

In the fifth, Duke whipped a pitch from Brandon Lyon into the right field corner. Duke eased into second base - drawing some good-natured boos from fans who wanted to see Duke try for a triple.

"If I go for three and make an out or I (get injured), that's not where I want to be," Duke said."