Just over a week ago, it was a ninth-inning, game-winning home run. On Tuesday, it was being thrown out at second base.

"Whatever it takes," manager John Russell said afterward, showing a slight grin.

An out call by second-base umpire Scott Barry on McLouth's attempt to steal second not only fueled an argument from Russell, but it ignited a two-out rally by the Pirates that ultimately crystallized into a 3-2 win at PNC Park on Tuesday night.

"Things happen," Xavier Nady said of the call. "But hey, we were able to capitalize."

For the first time in seven games, the Pirates were able to leave the field with a win. Starter Paul Maholm proved to be the backbone and stopper the Bucs desperately needed, and the offense finally found the timely hits.

"Tonight you kind of saw everything come together in one game," McLouth said.

For the first time this season, McLouth would finish the game without a hit. But that's not to say his impact wasn't felt in a game that snapped a season-worst six-game losing skid.

Consider that up until the sixth inning Florida starter Ricky Nolasco rolled through the Pirates order, needing only 65 pitches to finish five innings. Maholm's innocuous third-inning single was the only hit the Pirates registered through five. And when McLouth drew a one-out, four-pitch walk, it gave the Bucs just their third baserunner of the night.

Trying to get any kind of offensive rally going, McLouth took that walk and soon took off to second. He came into the game having been caught stealing just four times in 40 career attempts, none off a catcher's throw.

The throw from Marlins catcher Matt Treanor came low and on a bang-bang play, McLouth was ruled out. Replays showed, however, that the tag by second baseman Dan Uggla appeared to touch the ground before it did McLouth, and that McLouth seemed to get his foot onto the bag first.

Not only that, but Uggla dropped the ball shortly after making the tag. That however was immaterial, as Barry explained that the ball was dropped as Uggla was taking it out of his glove.

Russell ran out to second to argue the call to no avail, while McLouth was visibly livid back in the Pirates' dugout.

"I have to dance around that question," McLouth said, smiling, when asked afterward if he felt he was safe.

Much to the dismay of both Russell and McLouth, the Pirates' threat seemed to be over with two outs and nobody on. But a seven-pitch at-bat by Freddy Sanchez that resulted in a single and a subsequent single by Jason Bay gave the offense some life again.

"Obviously, you're not going to get every call, and when you're in a little slump like you're in," Xavier Nady said. "It was big on Freddy's part to have a big at-bat and get on and get us going again."

Ryan Doumit then sent a line drive into left-center that hit off the glove of Marlins left fielder Josh Willingham, who made a diving attempt on the play. With it, Sanchez scored to tie the score at 1.

Nady then hit a 3-2 pitch from Nolasco and dropped a short single in front of Willingham to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead.

"We had some very good at-bats that inning," Russell said. "After Nate was called out, we could have really rolled over and not done much."

From there, the Pirates held their breath after the Marlins immediately used a Jorge Cantu homer in the seventh to closed to within a run. Two more hits later in the inning gave the Marlins runners at the corners for Hanley Ramirez, who entered the game hitting .355 with a team-best 16 RBIs.

Ramirez knocked a dribbler half way down the third-base line. Doug Mientkiewicz, who was making just his second Major League start at third, hustled in and threw to first and got what appeared to be a generous out call from first-base umpire Mike Winters. The call kept the Marlins from tying the score, and it led to an early shower for Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez, who was thrown out for arguing.

"I haven't had an opportunity, but I don't think I even need to," Gonzalez said later about seeing a replay. "I thought in real-life speed that Hanley had beat it."

Added Ramirez: "Everybody knows I was safe."

Pirates relievers would strand two in the eighth and another in the ninth, but ultimately hold on for the team's fourth one-run win of the season.

Before the sixth-inning rally surfaced, though, all Russell had asked for was a quality start from Maholm.

Only once in the previous six games had a Pittsburgh starter thrown past the fifth inning. And after being outscored by 40 runs in that same span, the offense had been consistently staring up at unmanageable deficits.

"I just came out with the attitude that we're going to win. I'm going to keep the team in the game and let the offense take care of it later," said Maholm, who picked up his first win of the season.

Maholm, who had been winless in his past six starts dating back to last season, ensured the offense wouldn't be staring at an early hole again. He finished six innings, allowing just one first-inning run on four hits while striking out six.

"He threw the ball great," Russell said. "It was kind of the start we were looking for."

And it was the ending the Pirates needed.

"We battled back. We got the runs. I think that says a lot for a lot of guys," Maholm said. "We're going to play like that all year, and hopefully we don't have many slides like that the rest of the year."