PITTSBURGH -- Michael Lorenzen is 23 years old with just two starts of major league experience, yet the Cincinnati Reds right-hander is capable of doing some self-evaluating.

After Lorenzen surrendered a fourth home run in the first seven innings of his career -- a solo shot by Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Starling Marte in the second inning Tuesday -- the rookie walked to the back of the mound.

"I kind of collected myself and thought about what a young pitcher who had given up four home runs in his first two starts should do," Lorenzen said. "I thought the best answer was pound the strike zone, so that's what I tried to do."

Lorenzen pitched one-run ball over six innings for his first major league win, and left fielder Marlon Byrd drove in four runs as the Reds downed the Pirates 7-1.

Lorenzen (1-1) gave all three Pittsburgh hits while striking out four and walking three. He lost his debut April 29 to the Milwaukee Brewers when he surrendered three homers in five innings.

"As coach and managers, we all kind of live vicariously through our players," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "To have a moment like that, to watch a kid go out there and compete against a very good team in a series where we wanted to get off on the right foot, it was pretty special."

A standout as both a pitcher and center fielder at Cal State Fullerton, Lorenzen was a supplemental first-round draft pick two years ago. His background led to the question of whether he dreamed more about getting his first win or his first home run.

"When I was a kid, I watched Roger Clemens pitch in the World Series on TV, then I had a dream that night that I pitched in the World Series," Lorenzen said. "So, I'd have to say it was more my dream to pitch in the big leagues."

Byrd and third baseman Todd Frazier both homered and had two hits apiece. Center fielder Billy Hamilton, first baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips also added two hits each to the Reds' 12-hit attack.

Acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in an offseason trade, Byrd entered the game hitting .181.

"April was a really tough month, the toughest time since I turned my career back around two years ago," Byrd said. "I've been putting in a lot of time in with (hitting coach) Don Long, and things are slowly starting to come around. I'm starting to feel more comfortable at the plate."

Frazier hit a solo shot in a two-run second inning, his seventh home run in the past 12 games and ninth of the season. Byrd connected for a two-run blast, his fourth, in the third inning to increase the Reds' lead to 4-1, and his two-run double capped a three-run ninth.

The Reds (13-13) beat the Pirates (12-14) for the sixth consecutive time, dating to last season. Pittsburgh's overall losing streak reached four games, and the Pirates fell for the sixth time in seven games while scoring just 15 runs in that span.

The Pirates' lone run came on Marte's seventh homer.

"We missed some pitches we probably had to hit tonight," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We just got to do what men do, got to roll your sleeves up and keep working."

Jeff Locke (2-2) lost his second straight start, allowing four runs and seven hits in seven innings with two walks and five strikeouts.

Cincinnati infielder Kristopher Negron snapped an 0-for-23 skid with a leadoff single in the ninth. Negron scored on Hamilton's infield single, and Bryd followed with his two-run double.

Negron was filling in at shortstop for Zack Cozart, who missed his first game of the season because of a bruised right index finger.

"It was exciting to see (Byrd) swing the bat like that," Price said. "The home run was exciting, and the double in the ninth inning was especially exciting because it's a lot easier to manage a game with a six-run lead than a one-run lead or being down a run."

NOTES: Pirates 3B Josh Harrison, who is in a 1-for-23 slump, got a day off. He spent extra time with hitting coach Jeff Branson before the game in an attempt to regain the timing of his swing. ... Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen's five-game hitting streak ended as he went 0-for-4. ... Cincinnati RHP Mike Leake (1-1, 3.03 ERA) will face Pittsburgh RHP Gerrit Cole (4-0, 1.76) on Wednesday night in the middle game of the three-game series. Leake hasn't lost to the Pirates in his last 14 starts, dating to May 5, 2012, and is 4-0 with a 2.95 ERA against them in his last nine starts. Cole was the National League Pitcher of the Month for April and has allowed one earned run or none in each of his past four starts.