PHOENIX (AP) Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Jones wasn’t caught up in the emotions of playing against his former team.
Jones downplayed the significance of his first game against the Baltimore Orioles since he was a Seattle Mariner in 2007. Then he collected three hits against his old club, and after the Diamondbacks won 6-3 Monday night, he downplayed it again.
”We got a W, which is most important. I could have had three hits and had a loss. The next week is the most important for our team,” Jones said.
The Diamondbacks have two more games against the struggling Orioles, then four at Miami against the 36-62 Marlins.
”It’s business, man. Got to handle business. I’m a pro,” Jones said. ”I’m not there anymore, I’m here. And I’m happy with where I’m at. I’m trying to win for this team and not worry about anything else.”
The Orioles’ Trey Mancini said it was a little strange going against a player who’d been a clubhouse leader for years in Baltimore.
”He was very instrumental in their win. I have seen him do that a lot when we played together,” Mancini said. ”It wasn’t as fun to be on the other side of it.”
Eduardo Escobar tripled twice and Robbie Ray (9-6) struck out 10 in six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits for his fourth win in four starts. All four of his 10-strikeout games this season have come against AL teams.
”Overall I felt really good,” Ray said. ”I can usually tell when my stuff is on. It doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to get a bunch of strikeouts, but I feel like there is definitely opportunities when my stuff is like it is tonight.”
The Diamondbacks are 5-5 since the All-Star break and ended the day two games out of the second wild card spot in the National League.
Hanser Alberto and Renato Nunez hit solo home runs for the Orioles in the fifth, Nunez with his team-leading 23rd homer of the season. Baltimore had won three of four but has the worst record in the majors at 31-68.
Jones singled home Escobar with two outs in the fourth, and his third-inning double was a shallow fly ball to right field that glanced off Nunez’s glove as Nunez attempted an over-the-shoulder catch with his back to the infield.
”It was Adam Jones’ day, right?” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. ”He continues to be very impressive in big moments. And today he steps up and does a great job, and I know there was a bunch of people in Baltimore probably smiling as we were as well.”
Jones then scored on Jake Lamb’s double for a 4-1 Diamondbacks lead. Lamb also made a key defensive play in the second, taking away a run-scoring hit from Jonathan Villar when he dived to field Villar’s sharp ground ball headed for left field.
”Robbie Ray is one of the best left-handers in the National League,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. ”I thought we did some good things offensively against him. We just didn’t get the big hits to knock him out a little bit earlier.”
The Diamondbacks scored three runs in the first inning, the first on Escobar’s triple. Two more came home on base hits from Christian Walker and Nick Ahmed, whose single happened with two outs.
Losing pitcher Aaron Brooks (2-4) allowed five earned runs on nine hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Escobar is the ninth Diamondbacks player to hit two triples in a game. His stolen base in the eighth gave the Diamondbacks 22 straight steals without being thrown out, a club record.
Baltimore’s Anthony Santander scored on Richie Martin’s blooper to left field, which Diamondbacks outfielder Jarrod Dyson dived for but couldn’t catch in the second inning.
Greg Holland pitched the ninth inning for his 17th save.
MONSOON SEASON
Debris from the first wind and rain storm of what is locally labeled haboob season sifted through openings in the Chase Field panels and left a hazy layer of dust hovering over the field. Play was not affected.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Utility player Blake Swihart (oblique) is soon to continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Reno. … OF David Peralta is working his way back from a shoulder injury in the rookie-level Arizona League.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dylan Bundy (4-11, 5.28 ERA) is set to come off the 10-day injured list to start Tuesday’s game against Arizona. He’d been dealing with right knee soreness.
Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (7-9, 3.77) faces the Orioles in what will be the second interleague start of his career.
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