PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled right-hander Brad Lincoln from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday before their game against the San Diego Padres.

Lincoln, a former first-round draft pick, was 7-8 with a 4.19 ERA in 19 starts for Indianapolis this season. He will pitch as a reliever for the Pirates, whose bullpen has been taxed in recent weeks due to some extra-inning games and ineffective starts.

To make room for Lincoln, Pittsburgh optioned left-hander Tony Watson to Indianapolis. Watson had been scored upon in each of his past three appearances.

Lincoln is 1-4 with a 6.29 ERA in 11 games (nine starts) in the majors, including one start this season. He allowed two runs on four hits in six innings of a spot start July 2 in Washington.

Lincoln was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2006 draft.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Washington Nationals' most prized possession Stephen Strasburg was on target and up to speed Sunday in his first rehab start since Tommy John surgery. Twenty-five of 31 pitches were strikes, his fastball was in the upper 90s, and he struck out four while allowing one run over 1 2-3 innings for the Class A Hagerstown Suns in a 7-5 loss to the Greensboro Grasshoppers.

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants manager Bruce Bochy has criticized a nationally syndicated radio host for what he says is a “racist” comment about San Francisco reliever Ramon Ramirez.Radio host Tony Bruno referred to Ramirez as an “illegal alien.” He also called Bochy a “coward” in a Twitter post following Friday night’s benches-clearing brawl between the Phillies and Giants. The mayhem came after Ramirez plunked Shane Victorino in the back in the sixth inning of the Phillies’ 9-2 victory.Bruno’s show is broadcast on local station KNBR 1050 AM. He later deleted his tweet and apologized on his Facebook page.