PITTSBURGH - All Tike Redman wants to do is become an all-around big league ballplayer.

The Pirates' 27-year-old center fielder may have arrived in that regard Tuesday - all in the span of an inning.

With his team trailing 6-4 in the eighth inning, the left-handed hitting Redman was due up against San Francisco left-hander Jason Christiansen with runners at first and third and two outs.

Redman had never gotten a hit against Christiansen in his career.

"I was standing on-deck, looking over my shoulder a little bit," Redman admitted. "I was thinking they could go to (Abraham) Nunez as a pinch-hitter.

"Then I thought about who they were gonna put in center field … I didn't think I was coming out."

Manager Lloyd McClendon stayed with Redman, who delivered a game-tying two-run double to right.

Entering the at-bat, Redman was hitting just .227 in 66 at bats against southpaws, producing one homer and nine RBI.

That compares to a .283 average in 304 at bats against right-handers, including five homers and 32 RBI.

"I've been getting some good swings against lefties lately," Redman said. "I have to, if I'm going to be an every-day player."

Make no mistake, he's an every-day player.

Redman is the only Pirate, in fact, to start all 25 games since the All-Star break. After hitting .226 in April and .232 in May, he hit .274 in June and .364 in July.

He is hitting at a .370 clip over his last 20 games.

"Confidence," Redman said. "That's the only difference. I didn't have confidence before. I have plenty of it now.

"I knew how important that at bat against Christiansen was to us winning that game. I just told myself to relax and have a good at bat. Look fastball, but stay back for the curve and slider. That's the key to lefty vs. lefty.

"He threw me a decent slider and I went down and got it," Redman added.

McClendon did consider denying Redman that at bat.

"It was a tough decision to leave him in," McClendon said. "Christiansen is so tough on left-handers. But Tike has been hitting lefties better. We took a shot and he came up big.

"That decision wound up paying huge dividends."

With the Pirates nursing a one-run lead in the ninth, Marquis Grissom drove a ball into the right-center field gap with one out.

Redman dove for the ball and caught it inches above the grass. Michael Tucker followed with a home run - that only tied the game.

"That catch in the ninth was outstanding," McClendon said.

"We were playing deep in the outfield, almost on the warning track, trying to prevent any doubles," Redman said. "That was a long way to go for that ball.

"It's just a gut reaction. If you think you can reach it, go for it. I'm in center field because of my speed. I have to use it."

Redman still has steps to take to round out his game. He has 11 stolen bases, but has been caught five times. And he's only walked 15 times all season, keeping his on-base percentage below .300.

"I was a home run hitter when I was a kid," Redman said. "Ken Griffey Jr. was my favorite player because he hit home runs and I hit home runs.

"I'm not gonna hit a lot of home runs up here, but I feel like I can do the job every day. I think the manager believes in me, too.

"Believe me, that's a big step," he added.