Freddy Sanchez had two hits while becoming the Pittsburgh Pirates' first National League batting champion in 23 years, and Xavier Nady's third hit of the game drove in the only run in a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Sanchez, not a regular when the season began, went 2-for-4 to finish with 200 hits and a .344 average, five points better than Florida's Miguel Cabrera, who went 0-for-2 against Philadelphia. Sanchez's average was the highest by a Pirates everyday player since Roberto Clemente hit .345 in 1969.

After the game ended, Sanchez stayed on the field and waved his cap to the crowd, and his teammates crowded around as a ceremony that include a video tribute was held to recognize Sanchez's title.

The Reds were shut out in their final two games of the season and the series after being eliminated from NL Central contention and finished 80-82, their best record since 2000 but their sixth consecutive losing season. The Pirates' 67-95 record was identical to that of last season.

Nady's go-ahead hit followed two-out singles by Jason Bay, a native of Trail, B.C., and Ryan Doumit in the eighth against Todd Coffey (6-7), the Reds' third pitcher.

Matt Capps (9-1), a rookie making his 85th appearance, got the victory by retiring one batter in the eighth after Shane Youman threw seven innings. Salomon Torres pitched the ninth for his 12th save in 15 chances, during his 94th appearance _ tying a club record set by Kent Tekulve in 1979. The only pitcher in major league history with more appearances was the Dodgers' Mike Marshall with 106 in 1974.

Torres struck out Jose Valentin to end the game with runners on first and third _ the only time in 18 innings over their final two games the Reds advanced a runner to third.

Sanchez's title wasn't a certainty after he went 0-for-4 Saturday night, dropping his lead over Cabrera to four points. But when Sanchez singled in each of his first two at-bats and Cabrera went 0-for-2, it became evident Sanchez would win and Florida manager Joe Girardi pulled Cabrera.

Sanchez becomes a record 25th NL batting champion for the Pirates but their first since Bill Madlock in 1983.

Sanchez's batting title probably meant more to the Pirates than it would have to other clubs because they have gone so long without a winning season _ 14 years, two short of the major league record. Sanchez's title also illustrates one reason why the Pirates have flopped for so long: their often-curious personnel decisions.

Even after Sanchez hit .291 last year, the Pirates felt he didn't hit enough for power. So they signed Joe Randa to a US$4 million contract in the off-season to play third and allow Sanchez to be a utility player. But Sanchez hit so well early in the season he forced them to make him a regular about a month into the season.

When the Pirates won only 30 of their first 90 games, Sanchez's pursuit of the batting title became the prime focus of the team's fans. During the final weekend against the Reds, thousands waved black-and-gold ``Go, Freddy, Go'' signs while chanting his name and giving him a standing ovation for every at-bat.

Sanchez stayed in the game even after his title became a certainty and had a pair of hard-hit line-drive outs in his final two plate appearances.

Both starting pitchers were lifted after pitching shutout ball _ Youman after seven innings in his third career start and the Reds' Matt Belisle after throwing a career-high six innings. The Reds couldn't get a run against either of the two career minor leaguers the Pirates started to end the series, as Marty McLeary pitched seven shutout innings in a 3-0 Pirates victory Saturday.

Notes: The Pirates finished with a winning home record for the first time since PNC Park opened in 2001. ... Pirates CF Chris Duffy sat out with a sore hamstring that occurred when he was running the bases Saturday. ... Capps finished one game short of the NL rookie record of 86 appearances set by Arizona's Oscar Villarreal in 2003. ... Pirates C Ronny Paulino sat out Sunday, but became the first rookie catcher since Mike Piazza in 1993 to hit at least .310 and play in at least 100 games. ... The Pirates were one of six teams in the majors that didn't draw 2 million, attracting 1,861,549 in 80 dates _ despite hosting the all-star game. ... Sanchez and SS Jack Wilson (2004) are the only Pirates players since Dave Parker in 1978 to get 200 hits in a season.

© The Canadian Press, 2007