Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Box Score on May 03, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 3, 2017

CINCINNATI -- Billy Hamilton and Eugenio Suarez each hit three-run homers and Devin Mesoraco added a solo shot, helping Rookie Davis earn his first major-league win in the Cincinnati Reds' 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.

Davis (1-1) pitched five shutout innings in his fourth career start and second since spending two weeks on the disabled list with a bruised right forearm. He pitched out of jams in four of his five innings with three walks and two strikeouts.

During his time on the disabled list, Davis worked on his mechanics, in particular command of his sinker. The extra work paid dividends Wednesday.

Suarez hit his sixth homer of the season, but the homers by Hamilton and Mesoraco were their first in a combined 526 at-bats.

Hamilton homered for the first time this season and Mesoraco's solo blast off Trevor Williams in the sixth inning was his first since Sept. 23, 2014. He appeared in only 39 games the past two seasons due to shoulder and hip surgeries.

The victory assured Cincinnati (13-14) of no worse than a split in the four-game series.

Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh (12-15), his 28th career homer against the Reds and 18th at Great American Ball Park.

Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (2-1) suffered his first defeat of the season, allowing six runs in five innings.

Taillon had an 0.47 ERA in three road starts this season before Wednesday. But, he wasn't greeted as kindly in Cincinnati.

For the second time in as many as nights, the Reds hit a three-run homer in the first inning to go ahead 3-0. Only this time they held the lead.

On Tuesday, it was Joey Votto. On Wednesday, it was Suarez who crushed a 1-1 pitch to left field with two outs.

Davis threw only nine pitches in the first inning.

He needed 27 to get through the second but pitched out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam. It took Davis 31 pitches to wriggle out of a second-and-third situation in the third.

The Pirates went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the first four innings.

With two runners on in the fourth, Hamilton sent Taillon's first pitch sailing into the home bullpen in right field to make the score 6-0.

It was Hamilton's first home run in 319 at-bats, at the time the third-longest homer drought in the major leagues.

NOTES: Reds CF Billy Hamilton's home run was his first since June 28, 2016, off the Cubs' Jon Lester. ... Pirates C Francisco Cervelli missed his fourth straight start with right foot soreness. ... Reds RHP Homer Bailey, who remains on the disabled list after multiple arm surgeries, turned 31 Wednesday. He threw a bullpen Tuesday in Arizona and isn't expected back before June. ... Pirates RHP Ivan Nova was named National League pitcher of the month after posting a 1.50 ERA with two complete games over five starts in April.