PITTSBURGH - Mark Redman apparently had enough Wednesday night.

Enough of not getting decent run support from the Pittsburgh Pirates' pop-gun offense. Enough of what he thought was home plate umpire Larry Vanover's tiny strike zone.

Redman was so bothered that he did something out of character with how he has acted during his first season with the Pirates.

The left-hander did not talk to the media after struggling Vicente Padilla and three relievers combined on a five-hit shutout to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-0 victory over the Pirates at PNC Park.

Redman first summoned Pirates media relations director Jim Trdinich to send word to a group of waiting reporters. Then Redman approached the group himself and plaintively said, "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to take a mulligan."

While Redman took a mulligan with the media, the Pirates' hitters took the collar against Padilla, who had a 6.96 ERA in 12 starts going into Tuesday's game and an 8.76 mark in losing his previous three starts.

Padilla (4-8) blanked the Pirates on four hits in six innings, walking four and striking out two. Ryan Madson, Ugueth Urbina and Billy Wagner pitched one inning each to complete the shutout.

The Pirates have been shut out six times this season, four coming in Redman's starts.

"Not getting any runs for Mark has been one of the most frustrating things about this season," said David Ross, who has caught each of Redman's 18 starts. "We're all frustrated that we haven't given him more help and I'm sure Mark is even more frustrated.

"Even though he hasn't had much luck this season, he keeps going out there and battling. My hat is off to him for that. He's not giving up."

Redman (4-8) lost his fourth straight start but was infinitely better than in his previous three when he had an 8.50 ERA. Redman gave up four runs, three earned, on just three hits in six innings Wednesday while walking three and striking out four.

Three of the four runs charged to Redman came after Rick White relieved in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, none out and the Phillies leading 1-0. Pat Burrell hit a leadoff double and manager Lloyd McClendon then lifted Redman after consecutive walks to Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

The Phillies broke the game open by scoring four times in the inning to make it 5-0. Mike Lieberthal hit a sacrifice fly and Tomas Perez, subbing at shortstop after Jimmy Rollins (sore left hand) was a late scratch, belted an RBI double to right before the third run scored on a wild pitch by White. The fourth came home on first baseman Daryle Ward's throwing error.

Redman's pitch count was only at 89 when McClendon made his move. Although the decision backfired badly, McClendon defended it.

"There are times when throwing 89 pitches is the equivalent of throwing 120," McClendon said. "Most of the pitches Mark made were stressful ones because the game was riding on each pitch. I thought he'd had enough."

The Phillies managed only one run against Redman in the first six innings and that came because right fielder Matt Lawton got a horrible jump on Jason Michael's two-out bloop RBI single down the right-field line in the third that scored Lieberthal, who led off with a double. The ball fell between Lawton, Ward and second baseman Jose Castillo.

The Pirates, meanwhile, blew chance after chance after Padilla retired the first seven batters. The Pirates put runners in scoring position in the third through six innings against Padilla and again in the seventh with Madson on in relief.

In all, the Pirates had six hits, including two doubles by Lawton, but stranded eight runners and were hitless in nine at bats with runners in scoring position.

The Pirates' best chances came in the fourth and sixth innings when they had runners on first and third with one out.

Tike Redman was thrown out at home in the fourth as he tried to score on Castillo's comebacker to Padilla. Ward then popped out to end the inning.

Ward again popped out in the sixth, this time for the second out, and Ross ended the inning by striking out.

Mark Redman has allowed three earned runs or less in 14 of his 18 starts this season. His ERA is 3.76, more than 2 ½ runs better than Padilla's 6.51, yet both have 4-8 records.

"I can't put my finger on why we don't score when Mark pitches," Pirates left fielder Jason Bay said. "Maybe we try too hard to get him runs. I don't know but I feel for him."

Ross only hopes it changes.

"Things tend to even out over the course of the season," Ross said. "I just hope it starts evening out real soon for Mark."

John Perrotto can be reached online at perrotto@timesnet.net.