Published: May 18, 2009 01:46 am      

Yates goes on DL; Pirates make minor trades

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Tyler Yates was placed on the 15-day disabled list before Sunday’s 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park with elbow inflammation. Yates has been unable to pitch multiple innings this season and has appeared on consecutive days just twice because of the elbow.

Yates is 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in 15 games. The Pirates expect that he will be ready to return June 1, the first day he is eligible to be activated.

Left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, who won 14 games for the Pirates in 2007, was recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis but is not expected to stay with the major-league club long. General manager Neal Huntington said Gorzelanny was called up more as a matter of convenience because he was already on the 40-man roster and was scheduled to pitch Sunday for Indianapolis.

The Pirates wanted to have a pitcher capable of pitching in long relief Sunday after having to use five relievers for a total of seven innings in Saturday night’s 7-4 victory over the Rockies. Starter Ian Snell was forced to leave the game after two innings because of a one-hour, 37-minute rain delay.

The Pirates will likely call up a reliever from Indianapolis, with right-handers Chris Bootcheck and Denny Bautista being the prime candidates for a promotion, once they decide how to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

Gorzelanny has gone 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA in seven starts at Indianapolis this season but was 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA in three outings this month.

Huntington said the Pirates want Gorzelanny to remain in the starting rotation at Indianapolis rather than pitch out of the bullpen in the major leagues.

“Tom is making progress but he still has some things to work on,” Huntington said.

INJURY UPDATE: Left fielder Nyjer Morgan missed his second straight game with a strained left hamstring. He is expected to return to the lineup tonight at Washington for the opener of a four-game series and 10-game road trip.

Delwyn Young again hit leadoff Sunday and played right field, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk. Young went 4-for-9 in the two games in the top spot. Brandon Moss again shifted from right field to left.

MINORS UPDATE: The Pirates made a pair of minor-league trades, acquiring right-hander Randy Newsom from the Cleveland organization and outfielder Jeff Corsaletti form the Boston organization and assigning them to Class AA Altoona.

Newsom, 27, was 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two relief appearances with Class AAA Columbus this season and 2-0 with one save and a 2.38 ERA in eight games with Class AA Akron. Corsaletti, 26, was hitting .128 with one RBI in 13 games with Class AAA Pawtucket.

jperrotto@piratesreport.com