You can use two kinds of pitch control under the autopilot's guidance. The first one is the altitude hold feature and the second one belongs to the so called CWS mode. Control wheel steering, where your input via the yoke commands a pitch angle the autopilot will hold.

So there's no dedicated pitch which could be commanded via switches, if it's that what you mean. You enable the AP, this enables the CWS mode and you steer the plane to a pitch the AP will then hold. You may have to 'twiddle'.  See details. http://captainsim.org/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1342176229

Well, if they would ever implement the Sperry 177 AP, that would be an option. With the current setup, there's the CWS. With a bit of practice, you can aim and establish a desired VS of course. Magic twiddle. 

I use a very raw or crude method because I gave up on this twiddle thing. I disconnect only the pitch paddle and I set my desired pitch or vsi with the pitch trim and reconnect the pitch paddle, works like a charm for me.
Alex