Chris Davis collected four hits -- three of which left the park -- to lead a Baltimore power surge that carried the Orioles to a 9-2 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a two-game series.
Davis finished with five RBI and four runs scored in his second career three- homer outing, with Nelson Cruz adding a solo shot to back six-plus solid innings from Miguel Gonzalez that helped the Orioles halt a two-game skid.
Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy each had two hits with an RBI in the win, Baltimore's sixth straight over the slumping Pirates.
Gonzalez (2-3) struck out seven without a walk and held Pittsburgh to a pair of runs in outdueling the still-winless Francisco Liriano, tagged for six runs on nine hits over five ineffective frames.
Liriano (0-4) has now failed to notch a victory in 13 regular-season starts dating back to last September, while the Pirates fell for the fourth time in their last five overall.
Andrew McCutchen ended 2-for-3 with an RBI for Pittsburgh, with Ike Davis delivering a solo homer in defeat.
[SportsNetwork.com]
