Live Blog: Zito Starts vs. Pirates

4:21 PM: Zito did put two men on in his first inning - a hard hit single and a hit-by-pitch, but he didn't allow any runs and the majority of his pitches were strikes. Most encouraging - two strikeouts! Come on Zito, we're with you buddy.

4:34 PM: Come on, guys, manufacture some runs for Zito. Molina gets a hit, Aurilla walks, Castillo advances a runner ... but Burriss and Bocock couldn't get a run across. I realize you've gotta play these guys and they do show promise, but right now it's like having three pitchers in the 7-8-9 holes.

4:37 PM: Four hitters. Three strikeouts. It's a new Zito! Jon Miller called his last curveball, "a beauty."

4:41 PM: Two shutout innings. Go Zito!

4:44 PM: Zito strikes out. He still needs to get his head straight on batting.

4:59 PM: Three shutout innings. Zito allowed a double, and the pitch count is relatively high, but he is pitching real strong. He's already reached his season high for strikeouts in a game, and the mix of pitches seem to be working well. He seems to be throwing mostly off speed stuff, but he's getting the hitters to swing - and most miss, and weakly hit into an out.