Polanco’s 2-HR game leads lineup breakout

PITTSBURGH — Four out of every five days, every time he’s not starting, Ivan Nova finds Gregory Polanco in the dugout to ask a simple question: “Hey, when are you going to hit a homer?” To which Polanco politely replies, “One day. One day, I will.”

One day came Tuesday, and Polanco went deep twice for Nova. Not just to satisfy his daily query, but to support the starter’s complete-game gem, snap Pittsburgh’s offensive slump and lead the Pirates to a 7-1 win over the Astros at PNC Park.

“He’s pretty fun to watch,” Nova said. “He hit two for me today. That’s amazing.”

Pittsburgh’s lineup limped into Tuesday’s game. After a strong road trip through Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Pirates lost four straight games at home. During the last three, they managed all of four runs and 14 hits.

They matched their three-day run total in the first inning Tuesday, with Polanco right in the middle of a six-hit ambush against Astros starter Joe Musgrove, and rolled to a much-needed win behind an equally welcome offensive …

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