PITTSBURGH — With his team trailing 3-0 with one out in the bottom of the fourth, Neil Walker stepped into the batter's box.

Nobody was on base and the Pirates had one hit against Cincinnati pitcher Travis Wood, who had retired eight in a row.

That one hit, a sharp single to left, belonged to Walker. This time, he squared around and bunted Wood's first pitch foul.

It was an anonymous play in an eventual 4-0 loss Monday night, especially given the fact Walker struck out in that at-bat.

But the bunt attempt was another example of Walker working to become a better player.

"It's something I want to add to my game," Walker said of bunting. "The third baseman was playing way back and if he's going to give it to me, why not?

"I've been working with (coach) Tony Beasley every day on my bunting. I'll do anything to help the team."

Maybe that's why Walker has been on a tour of nearly every position in professional baseball over the past couple of years.

The Pine-Richland graduate was drafted as a catcher, then moved to third base. When the Pirates signed slugging prospect Pedro Alvarez, they asked Walker to learn a number of positions.

He was willing to use whatever glove necessary.

"I'm glad things happened the way they did," Walker said. "Playing different positions helped me see the field from new perspectives. I respect the game now more than ever.

"I can play anywhere on the diamond except shortstop and pitcher. I hope I don't have to move again, though. I've gotten pretty comfortable at second."

The Pirates feel pretty good about having him there, too. Walker's next move might be into his own home, though there's no hurry for that to occur, either.

He is one of only two current major league players — Oakland A's pitcher Tyson Ross is the other — who still live with their families in the house they grew up in.

"Yeah, that's pretty unique — and pretty lucky," Walker said.

The Gibsonia resident turns 25 in September and heads into this weekend's series against Colorado at PNC Park as the Pirates' leading hitter at .303. He has 66 hits in 218 at-bats since being recalled from Class AAA Indianapolis May 25.

In 43 minor league games this season, Walker hit .321 with six homers and 26 RBI. He hit just .194 in 36 at-bats in September with the Pirates last year.

Before this season, Walker had never hit higher than .301 (in 2005 with Class A Hickory) in a professional season.

Last year, he was hitting only .182 through the first week of May at Indianapolis and quickly was falling off the cliff in terms of being considered a prospect.

"Confidence is the major difference, really," Walker said. "You can overthink so easily in this game. I had to relax and play. You have to believe you can play at this level.

"I feel like I belong up here now. I couldn't say that last year."

His numbers are saying it for him.

Walker is hitting .365 at PNC Park in 2010. He's hitting .364 with runners in scoring position. Since the All-Star break, his 27 hits are third-most in the National League.

In a year in which Pirates manager John Russell has used 87 different lineups in the team's first 107 games, Walker has become a fixture in the No. 3 spot of the batting order.

In fact, he trails only Ian Kinsler (.307) of the Texas Rangers for highest batting average among starting second basemen in the major leagues.

"I'm hoping I can be here for a long, long time," Walker said. "I grew up a Pirates fan and I'll bleed black and gold until the day I die.

"I've seen the way the fans in this city react and go nuts when the Steelers and Penguins win championships. I want to play in a World Series here. They'd react the same way for that. I'm dreaming of that day."