PITTSBURGH— Warm weather or cold weather, Grapefruit League or regular season, it doesn't matter.

Ian Snell just gets hitters out.

After leading the team with 14 wins last season — the most wins by a Pirates hurler since Todd Ritchie's 15 in 1999 — the 25-year-old right-hander has picked up where he left off in 2007.

Snell fashioned a 3.00 earned run average with 24 strikeouts and just seven walks in 21 innings during spring training.

In his first two regular season starts, Snell has logged 13 innings, struck out 14, walked two, and has a 2.08 ERAwith opposing hitters batting under .200 against him.

And he's 0-1 after being tagged with a 3-0 loss to St. Louis Monday afternoon at PNCPark.

"That's OK,"Snell said. "I gave my team a chance to win the game. That's all I want to do. I'm pitching for them, not for myself."

Snell is hardly an imposing figure on the mound, standing 5-feet-11 and weighing 190 pounds. But his fastball can hit 97 mph on occasion.

It did so last week in Houston, when he struck out 11 in six innings.

It didn't do so Monday, when he fanned only three.

"Houston was a lot warmer," he said. "I couldn't get the zip on my fastball today. I had to use my brain a lot more in this game.

"We had their hitters guessing. I mixed up my pitches and threw strikes. Do that and you get people out. At the start of last season, I kept throwing my fastball all the time — and I got crushed."

It's all part of the maturation process of a big league pitcher, including starting the home opener in front of a sellout crowd.

"Ian gave us seven solid innings and was completely unfazed by the situation,"Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "He gave us a chance to win, and that's all you can ask from your starting pitcher."

The Pirates' starting rotation of Snell, Zach Duke, Tom Gorzelanny, Paul Maholm and Tony Armas have an average age of 25 years, 204 days. Only the Florida Marlins, at 24 years, 143 days, have a younger rotation among National League clubs.

The only run Snell allowed Monday occurred in the fourth inning, when Albert Pujols doubled to left and Scott Rolen delivered a run-scoring single up the middle.

"Rolen's ball was hit so hard, it almost took my leg off,"Snell said, grinning. "Those guys are veteran hitters and they're a good team."

Pujols had two of the Cardinals' six hits against Snell. He entered the game batting .396 at PNC Park with 19 home runs — most career homers of any opposing player.

"Albert Pujols figured prominently in the only run Ian allowed. And Albert does that to a lot of pitchers,"Tracy said.

"He's the best hitter in baseball," Snell said. "I know the National League batting champion is my teammate, but Pujols hits over .330 every year, nearly 50 homers, well over 100 RBI. ... You have to respect that."

Snell also respects the veteran right-handers on the Pirates roster, Armas and Shawn Chacon. Both have plenty of career starts in the big leagues.

"They've offered me advice and I've taken it,"Snell said. "They've helped make me a better pitcher."

Notes: The Pirates began their 121st season with Monday's opener. ... During pre-game ceremonies, fan John Wray was recognized for attending his 50th consecutive home opener and Freddy Sanchez was presented a silver bat commemorating his 2006 batting title. ... Broadcaster Lanny Frattare received the Pride of the Pirates Award. He is entering his 32nd season as the voice of the Bucs and has broadcast more than 5,000 Pirates games. Frattare's Family Links Golf Classic has raised more than $1.7 million in support of 32,000 children, families and mentally challenged individuals over the past 20 years. ... Bob Cunningham of Butler was the Pirates Trivia contestant on the scoreboard and won a custom-made Pirates guitar.