Major League Baseball

Olivera extends hit streak, Braves beat Liriano, Pirates

Published Mar. 21, 2016 6:13 p.m. ET

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BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) Hector Olivera extended his hitting streak to seven games and drove in three runs as the Atlanta Braves roughed up opening day starter Francisco Liriano and the split-squad Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 Monday.

Liriano hit a home run, but departed after 3 2/3 innings. He allowed seven hits and four earned runs, with one walk and five strikeouts.

Olivera singled twice and has hit safely in 15 of his past 16 games.

Nick Swisher doubled twice and drove in two runs. The batters in the middle of the Atlanta lineup - Adonis Garcia, Swisher, Jeff Francoeur and Olivera - had two hits apiece.

Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, a front-runner for one of the available spots in the Braves' rotation, gave up four hits and a run in 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Pirates right-hander Daniel Bard, a minor leaguer trying to make his way back to the majors, allowed three runs on three hits and two walks without recording an out in the fourth.

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