Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Brad Lincoln throws in the second inning against the San Diego Padres during a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, July 25, 2010. Lincoln took the loss in a 6-3 Padres win.

PITTSBURGH — Brad Lincoln, at age 25, knew his demotion was coming. Brendan Donnelly, nearing the end of his career at age 38, never anticipated being let go.

The last-place Pittsburgh Pirates revamped their pitching staff after a 6-3 loss to San Diego on Sunday dropped them 30 games below .500, optioning Lincoln back to Triple-A Indianapolis and designating Donnelly for assignment.

"I've been released a few times in my career and you have a hunch, but I didn't see this one coming," said Donnelly, who was 3-1 in 38 games with a 5.58 ERA that was inflated by several rough games. "I felt like I've been throwing well for a month."

Lincoln (1-4) remains the Pirates' top pitching prospect, but his ERA climbed to 6.57 after he gave up 7 hits and 13 runs in his last two starts. He also hasn't shown the dominating fastball he had while going 6-2 with a 3.16 ERA earlier with Indianapolis.

"I need to clear my head and get back to where I was before I got here," Lincoln said.

Manager John Russell said, "He'll be back here, he's got too good of stuff. I think the first time around was a learning experience for him."

The Pirates denied they shed Donnelly because he was about to start collecting on performance incentives that could have more than doubled his $1.35 million salary.

As Donnelly packed up his gear, all of the Pirates' relievers came over to exchange hugs and tell him they hoped he landed soon with another team.