PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to terms with veteran left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard and outfielder Nate McLouth.

The 32-year-old Bedard was 5-9 with 3.62 ERA in 24 starts for Seattle and Boston last season after missing 2010 because of shoulder problems.

McLouth spent four-plus seasons with the Pirates before being traded to Atlanta in 2009. The 30-year-old struggled with the Braves, hitting .198 in 2010 and .228 in 2011.

Bedard could step in immediately at the top of Pittsburgh’s rotation while McLouth could provide depth in a crowded outfield.

The Pirates had earlier Wednesday signed free agent catcher Jose Morales to a minor league deal.

The switch-hitter hit .267 for Colorado last season before breaking his right thumb June 15 and not playing again.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to terms with veteran left-handed pitcher Erik Bedard and outfielder Nate McLouth.

The 32-year-old Bedard was 5-9 with 3.62 ERA in 24 starts for Seattle and Boston last season after missing 2010 because of shoulder problems.

McLouth spent four-plus seasons with the Pirates before being traded to Atlanta in 2009. The 30-year-old struggled with the Braves, hitting .198 in 2010 and .228 in 2011.

Bedard could step in immediately at the top of Pittsburgh’s rotation while McLouth could provide depth in a crowded outfield.

The Pirates had earlier Wednesday signed free agent catcher Jose Morales to a minor league deal.

The switch-hitter hit .267 for Colorado last season before breaking his right thumb June 15 and not playing again.

This time, there was no controversy, no debate and a lot less innings.

Atlanta and Pittsburgh played 19 innings Tuesday night before Julio Lugo scored the winning run on a call at the plate that umpire Jerry Meals later acknowledged was incorrect.

Ross became Atlanta’s starting catcher when the Braves placed McCann on the 15-day DL before the game with a left oblique injury. Ross came through with two hits, driving in both of the Braves’ runs.

“You’re not replacing B-Mac,” Ross said. “I’m trying to get in there and hold down the fort until he comes back.”

Ross is hitting .296. Most recently, he served as Tim Hudson’s personal catcher in a routine that gave McCann a regular day off.

The Braves are 17-6 with Ross starting, and the veteran is hitting .316 with four homers and 18 RBIs in those starts.

“I can’t think of very many teams in the major leagues that have the quality we do at the backup catcher position,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Nate McLouth led off the 10th with a single to right off Chris Leroux (1-1), who was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis before the game.

McLouth advanced to third on Freddie Freeman’s one-out single and Leroux intentionally walked Dan Uggla to load the bases for Ross.

Scott Linebrink (4-2) pitched the 10th for the win. Uggla finished with three hits to extend his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.

“I would have done the same thing they did, pitch around him to get to me,” Ross said.

Meals said Wednesday he watched a replay and Pittsburgh catcher Mike McKenry tagged Lugo before he scored the winning run in the second game of the series.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said he wanted the clear acknowledgement from Meals that he missed the call.

“I think that would be appropriate,” Hurdle said before Meals released his statement. “It would be professional. It would be respectful. And then we could all move on.”

Hurdle spoke with Meals when lineup cards were exchanged at home plate before the game. The two shook hands, and Hurdle gave the umpire a pat on the back before returning to the dugout.

The 19-inning game lasted 6 hours, 39 minutes and was the longest in Turner Field history and in both franchise histories. The game drained each team’s bullpen, and the start of another extra-inning game had Gonzalez worried.

“I was starting to get nervous, I was starting to get real nervous,” Gonzalez said.

Pittsburgh, seeking its first winning season in 19 years, fell 1½ games behind St Louis and Milwaukee in the NL Central.

The Pirates were held to seven hits by Jair Jurrjens and three relievers.

“We’re not built to slug,” Hurdle said. “You combine that and you come in here and face the Braves starting rotation, it’s one of the best ones in the league. It’s tough duty.

“We’ve got to find some bats to get in play. Hopefully that will start tomorrow.”

Jurrjens helped preserve the bullpen by pitching seven innings, allowing Garrett Jones’ sixth-inning homer to right-center. Jurrjens gave up six hits, walked three and struck out four.

The Braves scored one run and had three hits off Paul Maholm in the sixth. Martin Prado led off with a bloop single to left and scored on a single by Ross.

Prado, who went 0 for 9 in the 19-inning game, had two hits but was thrown out at third by left fielder Xavier Paul while trying to stretch a double in the first.

Maholm gave up nine hits in seven innings. He struck out eight and walked none.

Atlanta is concerned about its lineup after losing two regulars for at least two weeks, placing McCann and outfielder Jordan Schafer on the 15-day disabled list.

The Braves are also missing third baseman Chipper Jones, who is limited by a strained right quadriceps to pinch-hitting duty.

Jones grounded out in the ninth.

Schafer leads the team with 15 stolen bases, usually as the leadoff hitter. McCann is hitting .306 with 18 homers and a team-leading 55 RBIs.

The Braves recalled catcher J.C. Boscan and outfielder Wilkin Ramirez from Triple-A Gwinnett. Ramirez started in right field. Jason Heyward had the night off.

Boscan will serve as the backup to Ross while McCann recovers.

NOTES: The Pirates placed INF Chase d’Arnaud on the 15-day DL with a fractured right little finger. … The Braves acquired C Wil Nieves from Milwaukee for cash and assigned Nieves to Triple-A Gwinnett. … Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit was 0 for 3 in his second injury rehab game with Triple-A Indianapolis. Doumit is returning from a left ankle sprain.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ATLANTA (AP) — Julio Lugo scored from third base on a contested play at the plate, giving the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 win in 19 innings over the Pittsburgh Pirates early Wednesday morning.

The game, which ended at 1:50 2 a.m., was the longest in Turner Field history and matched the longest in the major leagues this season. At 6 hours, 39 minutes, it was the longest by time for both teams.

Lugo took on Scott Proctor’s grounder to third baseman Pedro Alvarez, whose throw to catcher Michael McKenry easily beat Lugo to the plate.

Lugo tried to avoid McKenry’s tag with a pop-up slide. Replays indicated McKenry made the tag, but home plate umpire Jerry Meals called Lugo safe.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle argued the call vigorously, following Meals off the field as the Braves celebrated.

With one out in the 19th, Daniel McCutchen walked Lugo. Jordan Schafer followed with a single to center, moving Lugo to third.

With their bench and bullpen depleted, the Braves had to let Proctor (2-3), their eighth pitcher of the game, hit for himself. Schafer advanced to second without a throw before Proctor’s grounder led to the final play.

The Phillies and Reds played 19 innings on May 25.

The Pirates’ previous longest game was 6:12 at San Diego on Aug. 25, 1979. The Braves’ previous longest game by time was 6:10 against the Mets on July 4, 1985, at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

The Pirates scored two runs in the first and pushed their lead to 3-0 in the second on McKenry’s homer. The Braves answered with three runs in the third, and the score remained 3-3 through the next 15 innings.

Several thousand fans from the announced crowd of 22,036 were still in the stands in the 19th inning, many standing and chanting.

The Braves lost catcher Brian McCann in the 10th inning when he strained his left oblique. He will be placed on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday.

McCutchen (3-2) gave up one run in 5 1-3 innings.

The Pirates fell one game behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central.

The Pirates had a chance to avoid extra innings but wasted a scoring chance in the ninth. McKenry had an infield single off Craig Kimbrel and moved to third on pinch-hitter Brandon Wood’s single.

The Braves called a pitchout as Xavier Paul was squaring to bunt and McKenry was running toward the plate. McKenry stopped too late and was thrown out at third. Kimbrel struck out Paul to end the inning.

Atlanta’s Chipper Jones, who strained his right quadriceps in Monday night’s game, hit a groundout as a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

Jones, 39, came off the 15-day disabled list on Monday following arthroscopic surgery on July 9 to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.

Nate McLouth and manager Fredi Gonzalez were ejected by Meals in the ninth. McLouth struck out swinging and then remained at the plate, apparently to argue a called strike two by Meals. Gonzalez ran onto the field too late to intervene and keep McLouth in the game.

NOTES: It was the Pirates’ longest game since May 27, 2006, when they beat Houston 8-7 in 18 innings. It was the Braves’ longest since Oct. 5, 2006, when they won 7-6 at Houston in 18 innings…. McKenry ended the Pirates’ streak of 77 innings without a homer since a shot by Brandon Wood at Houston on July 16. … Schafer, still bothered by his jammed left middle finger he hurt Wednesday in Colorado, was scratched from the Braves’ lineup. He entered the game in the ninth as a defensive replacement in center. … Pirates C Ryan Doumit (left ankle sprain) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis.