PITTSBURGH - Mark Redman may have saved his best for last - in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, that is.

The 31-year-old left-hander snapped a personal six-game losing streak Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 victory over Colorado. The losing skid was the longest by a Pirates pitcher since Ryan Vogelsong dropped seven straight from April to June of last year.

"I know there were a lot of scouts in the stands today," Redman said. "I'm sure they're wondering - 'Is he back to where he was before?'"

Where he was before was consistently effective. In Redman's first 20 starts with the Pirates, he allowed three earned runs or fewer.

During his six-game losing streak, he allowed 31 earned runs in 34 innings while watching his earned run average balloon from 2.80 to 4.24.

Against Colorado, Redman threw 69 strikes in 105 pitches. He allowed six hits in eight innings and only one Rockies runner reached third base.

"All I did was slow down and focus on my mechanics," he said.

Now other teams may be focusing on him. Baseball's trade deadline is Sunday and Redman is under contract only through this season. There is an option for 2006, should he and the Pirates agree on it.

Redman sees that as unlikely.

"Realistically, I'm not a priority to this organization right now," he said. "The Pirates' needs are an everyday third baseman and some power hitting. They have to address that first.

"There are a lot of good young pitchers coming up through the farm system here. … There doesn't appear to be a whole lot of starting pitchers available on the trade market."

All of which makes Redman believe he's one of them.

"I just want to win," he said. "I'm pitching for the Pirates right now, so I want to win here."

Redman's name has come up often in trade rumors, and Sunday's performance should only intensify such talks.

"When Mark has command of his fastball, he's very good," Pirate manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He was spotting it in, out, up and down. That makes his changeup and breaking ball that much better.

"Today, he had it."

He's had it plenty of other times, though his 5-10 record doesn't indicate such. The Pirates are averaging five runs per game in the eight Redman starts the team has won.

The Bucs have scored just 2.2 runs per game during the 13 Redman starts the club has lost. Overall, the Pirates average 3.04 runs per Redman start - the worst run support for any National League pitcher this season.

"He threw the ball extremely well his last time out (6-4 loss to Houston)," McClendon said. "Unfortunately, one bad pitch (resulting in a bases-loaded triple) beat him that day.

"I suspected today's game would be a different story."

Redman even delivered a run-scoring single Sunday - his fourth hit in 42 at bats this season and sixth hit in 116 at bats in his career.

If Redman is traded, his arm will be the reason.

"In a way, I guess I feel like I'm auditioning for other teams," he admitted. "It (getting traded) has been in the back of my mind, I can't say it hasn't. I go home and watch ESPN every night.

"It doesn't bother me. I've been traded before - so many times that I've lost count. I just go about my business."

If the Pirates do trade Redman, it will be the fifth time he's been dealt in as many seasons.

"It'd be nice to be able to go somewhere and stick around for two or three years," he said. "I didn't buy a house when I came (to Pittsburgh). I've learned that lesson."

Notes:

Sunday's pre-game activities had a Butler County flavor. Tyler Singer and Eric Norlander of Freeport area baseball threw and caught the ceremonial first pitch. The Kids Starting Lineup - a feature during Sunday home games in which kids are introduced and take the field to meet Pirates' starting players - included pitcher Justin Harbison, 7, of Renfrew; catcher Robert Schad, 7, of Cranberry Township; third baseman Michael Countouris of Zelienople; shortstop Kurt Branby, 11, of Zelienople; and center fielder Tyler Harbison, 12, of Renfrew.