Badly needing a win after a 3-6 road trip, the Orioles will take runs any way they get them right now. Homer or no homer.
Tonight they got them the way they often do - via a longball - hitting three homers to back Miguel Gonzalez in a 3-1 over Chicago to start an eight-game homestand. The Orioles have now scored their last 14 runs on homers.
Tonight's attendance was 17,383 which put the Orioles over the two million mark for the second year in a row and the 24th time in club history.
Adam Jones hit his 30th with a solo shot in the last of the first that was also his 100th RBI. One big swing leading to two nice round numbers for the O's center fielder.
Jones now has two seasons with at least 30 homers and 30 doubles. He is the third Oriole with multiple 30-homer, 30-double seasons. The others are Eddie Murray, who did it four times, and Rafael Palmeiro with three.
That blast also made Jones and Chris Davis the first pair of O's teammates with 100 RBIs since Aubrey Huff and Melvin Mora in 2008.
J.J. Hardy's solo homer in the fifth also produced a milestone. It made Hardy the fourth active player and ninth since 1901 to record three or more seasons of 25 homers as a shortstop. He joins Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada and Troy Tulowitzki among active players.
Brian Roberts added a solo shot off losing pitcher Jose Quintana in the fifth. He hit his fourth on a 3-2 pitch.
Gonzalez, who gave up seven runs in four innings in his last start, tonight went seven innings to get the win, improving to 9-7 with an ERA of 3.98. He gave up just four hits and one run with one walk and six strikeouts, throwing 100 pitches. He had been winless in his last six starts.
Jim Johnson pitched the ninth to record his 42nd save in 51 chances.
With the win the Orioles are now 39-29 at home, 2-2 against Chicago, 21-22 since the All-Star break and 74-65 for the season with 23 games to play.
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