Orioles’ Davis finds power to bash Buccos

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Chris Davis had been searching since spring training for the power stroke that produced 53 home runs last season.

It reappeared in a big way Tuesday night as Davis hit three home runs, doubling his season total, and drove in five runs to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 9-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

Davis hit a two-run blast during a four-run fifth inning off Francisco Liriano (0-4) that put the Orioles ahead 6-1. He hit a solo shot in the seventh off Jared Hughes and two-run homer in the ninth off Jeanmar Gomez.

It was Davis’ second career three-homer game — the other came on Aug. 24, 2012 against Toronto — and seventh multi-homer game.

Nelson Cruz also homered, following Davis’ shot in the fifth, to give the Orioles their second set of back-to-back homers of the season. Adam Jones had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 14 games.

Liriano (0-4) allowed six runs and nine hits in five innings for Pittsburgh and is now winless in 13 consecutive regular-season starts since last Sept. 10 at Texas.

“I was leaving too many pitches over the middle of the plate,” Liriano said. “I was missing my spots a lot and I couldn’t repeat two good pitches in a row.”

Ike Davis homered for the Pirates.