BALTIMORE -- Managers often get their messages through to players, but few connections bring results as quick and dramatic as those Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila provided Jim Leyland on Wednesday night.

After being told to loosen up and have a more college "rah-rah" approach by Leyland, Avila said he was going to cut loose and have fun.

Boy, did he ever.

Avila crushed a two-run home run in his second at-bat Wednesday night after hitting a two-run double his first time up against Baltimore Orioles starter Brad Bergesen.

He later added a run-scoring single, stole the third base of his career and came a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in Detroit’s 7-3 victory.

"It definitely was a game that felt like I was in college again," said Avila, who had 17 homers and 62 RBIs in 61 games as a junior at the University of Alabama before Detroit drafted him in the fifth round in 2008.

Avila’s career-best five-RBI game and eight strong innings from Justin Verlander dealt the Orioles their first loss after opening the season with four wins.

Leyland saw tension in Avila’s face and a stiffness in his play during the first week of the season.

"He’s probably not relaxed the way he’ll be relaxed (in the future) and needs to be relaxed," Leyland said before Wednesday’s game. "He’s a little hyper, a little tense. I just told him, ‘When you played at Alabama, you had a lot of fun. You just need to play like you are at Alabama and have fun.’

"I think he’s pressing. Alex just has to believe in himself, and believe in himself the way we believe in him. He’s going to be a good big league player."

What were Avila’s pre-game thoughts on Leyland’s theory?

"I know what he’s talking about," Avila said. "I’ve got to play like a little kid, and let it all hang out."

Avila entered Wednesday night’s game batting .100, but belted a two-run double off the Camden Yards scoreboard in right in the second inning. Avila stood on second base and clapped his hands; it was good feeling like a kid again.

"I was just pumped to jump out early with Justin on the mound," Avila said.

Avila hit the first of three Detroit home runs.

Miguel Cabrera (No. 250 in his career) and Victor Martinez drilled back-to-back solo shots in the fifth inning off Baltimore reliever Josh Rupe. That gave Cabrera three after five games, and Martinez has a pair.

Avila also called a good game, and there was nary a passed ball or wild pitch.

"That was a hell of a game," Verlander said of his battery mate’s career-best game. "His focus has to be on catching, and everything else is a plus. And what a plus he had today."

Pitching and defense also have weighed on Avila. Detroit’s pitchers had a 7.36 ERA and six passed balls in four games, and Avila views the pitching as a joint venture.

"I blocked the crap out of balls this spring," Avila said, pursing his lips and shaking his head. "But my angle wasn’t right on blocking some of those. You have to have a mindset of catching it with your body."

Leyland noted that Avila was successfully blocking low pitches in the spring, but simply needs to relax.

"To me, they are all passed balls," Avila said. "And there are going to be balls in the dirt with this staff -- with the power sliders and curves and sinkers. We don’t have a lot of finesse guys. And I’ve got to get those balls down there.

"Yeah, I am tough on myself. It’s been eating at me because I know I am good at it."

One other suggestion Leyland had for Avila was to be more aggressive earlier in the count.

"Don’t be afraid to be aggressive," Leyland said. "...I think he is probably too patient of a hitter, and he’s got a lot of juice in his bat. He’s had a lot of at-bats with just one swing, and that’s not good."

All three of his RBI hits came deep into the count. So, maybe connecting to some messages takes time. But the instant results from that "rah-rah" approach were good for starters.

"Well, he certainly gets the credit," Leyland said, while downplaying his advice. "He had a good night. He loosened up a little tonight."