CINCINNATI -- For the first time since 1956, the Pirates handed in their lineup card with the pitcher batting somewhere other than the No. 9 hole.

Monday's lineup featured starting pitcher Paul Maholm batting eighth, with Doug Mientkiewicz ahead of the left-hander and shortstop Jack Wilson batting ninth.

Manager John Russell had been asked about the possibility of arranging his lineup in such a manner earlier in the season, after St. Louis and Milwaukee both began the year with their pitchers batting eighth, but the Pirates' skipper never seemed convinced of the benefits. However, after a meeting with his coaching staff on Monday, the time seemed right to give it a shot.

"The biggest thing is Mientkiewicz," Russell explained. "We feel like we put our most patient, work-the-count kind of guy in front of our pitcher, and it puts Jack in a situation where if he gets on, we have the top of the lineup coming up."

So why not make it simple and flip-flop Mientkiewicz with Wilson so he'd be hitting in front of the pitcher out of the No. 7 hole?

"We still like him toward the middle of the lineup, too," Russell answered. "We'd rather not push him that low, so that he'll have an opportunity to continue to drive in runs with those guys on base."

Since returning from an injury, Wilson has been the team's primary No. 8 hitter. However, in 128 plate appearances, the shortstop has drawn just six walks. Mientkiewicz, on the other hand, has walked 23 times in 155 plate appearances.

"Doug has proven that he gives you a great at-bat every time up," Russell said. "It seemed intriguing that maybe we should try it and see what it looks like for us."

Wilson, who has hit ninth before in Interleague Play, saw the same logic.

"With Doug in there, Doug's a pretty patient guy," Wilson said. "Then with turning the lineup over and having two leadoff hitters at the top of the order, I think we might as well try it."

While he hasn't ruled it out, Russell seemed hesitant to commit to using this order structure with anyone other than Mientkiewicz and Wilson flanking the pitcher.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates last had their pitcher batting above the No. 9 spot on April 18, 1957, against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Second baseman Bill Mazeroski batted ninth behind pitcher Luis Arroyo in that game. Pirates manager Bobby Bragan also batted his pitcher eighth in the opening game of that season, which came on April 16.

A year earlier, Bragan put his pitcher in the seventh spot of the order every game during a 20-game stretch in August and September. Bragan had his pitcher hit seventh in a total of 21 games that season, with Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski batting ninth in 11 of those contests.