PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle moved Gregory Polanco into the third spot in the lineup earlier this month curious to see what the still somewhat raw left fielder could do.

Turns out, maybe a little bit of everything.

Polanco hit a two-run home off Mike Foltynewicz and later tripled and scored as the Pirates raced by the Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Thursday night for their fourth win in five games.

The 24-year-old Polanco is hitting .461 (12 for 26) in his last seven games, including his long drive to left center in the second, a spot in PNC Park few left-handed batters reach.

“It stands out in this ballpark when you can take it out there,” Hurdle said. “That’s a big reach for right-handed hitters. When you get some lefty who can hit it out there, (you see) he’s got that kind of power.”

Speed too. Polanco led off the fifth with a triple to right-center while hitting behind star Andrew McCutchen, a spot Polanco suddenly looks very comfortable in.

John Jaso went 3 for 4 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored for the Pirates, who scored 29 runs while taking three of four from the Braves. Jaso led off the bottom of the first with a single and later scored when Starling Marte — returning from paternity leave following the birth of his daughter on Sunday — hit a blooper to right field that fell in front of Nick Markakis to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Jaso’s two-out triple in the second eventually set up Polanco’s shot that made it 5-0, giving starter Jeff Locke time to settle in.

Unlike teammates Jon Niese and Juan Nicasio, who labored while pitching with a significant lead earlier in the series, Locke (2-3) was steady. The left-hander has endured a rocky start at the back end of the rotation and was touched for six runs in a loss at the Chicago Cubs last Saturday.