PITTSBURGH -- The first month of the season for Pirates second baseman Freddy Sanchez was certainly not to his liking. In April, he batted just .213 with no home runs and 10 RBIs.

"I want to do as much as I can," Sanchez said. "I do take it personally, and I take it more personally than I probably should. I've got to be able to relax and calm down. But it's one of those deals where I just want to help this team and this organization win so badly, get [it] back to where this organization should be. The fans have been great supporters of us, and we want to go out and play good baseball for them."

Sanchez has led off each of the past four games and has gone 9-for-17 (.529) with five RBIs and four runs scored. He has raised his batting average from .222 to .261 in those four games.

"He's hit about .900 there," Pirates manager John Russell joked. "Maybe we might leave him there for a little while. He seems to be very comfortable there and it's helped him with his approach. He's working the count and he seems to be a guy that fits in there."

Sanchez feels his batting surge isn't tied to his being in the leadoff spot.

"I don't think so," Sanchez said. "I don't know, but if they put me in the two-hole [Sunday], I don't want it to be, 'Well, I've only done well in the leadoff spot.' That's not the mentality that you're going to have.

"I feel like I've been doing a lot of work -- a lot of extra work in the cage -- and whether I was hitting first, eighth, seventh, it doesn't matter; I feel like I need to go out there and get the job done regardless."

Sanchez has been hindered by a sore throwing shoulder since Spring Training, and it has flared up again.

"I reinjured it in Washington on a relay play," Sanchez said. "It was good there for a while, and after that throw, it's hurting right now. I'm trying to get over that hump."

The shoulder hasn't bothered Sanchez at the plate.

"It's always been just when I throw," he said. "Right now, when I throw there is a lot of pain in there, but I've got to try to go out there and just do the best I can with what I got."

Despite the sore shoulder, Sanchez feels he is coming alive at the plate.

"I'm not fully where I want to be," Sanchez said, "but it is better and I'm going toward where I need to be."