Jones homers, Joseph debuts (Jones homers again, O's up 2-1)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Adam Jones hadn't hit a home run before tonight since April 8 in New York, a span of 22 games.

The Orioles center fielder was due, folks.

Jones belted No. 2 leading off the top of the second inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead over the Rays. He jumped on the first pitch from Rays left-hander Cesar Ramos, an 89 mph sinker, and deposited it over the center field fence.

Jones was 1-for-8 lifetime against Ramos before tonight's game. He had six hits in his last 37 at-bats this season.

Caleb Joseph grounded out in his first major league at-bat with runners on the corners and two outs in the second inning. He took a sinker out of the strike zone and shattered his bat on another sinker.

I doubt that the Orioles will save the handle for him.

Joseph is making his major league debut at 27. I assumed that you'd have to go back a ways to find an older Oriole, but knuckleballer Zach Clark (UMBC) appeared in his first and only major league game on May 1, 2013 in Seattle at 29.

Nick Markakis produced another leadoff single in the top of the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. It's the second-longest active streak behind Nolan Arenado's 26 games.

Markakis now has 1,409 career hits, ranking ninth on the Orioles' all-time list. He's 17 behind Paul Blair for eighth place.

Markakis would move into fifth place if he reaches 1,575 hits this season.

Update: Jones must be angry.

Jones again jumped on the first pitch from Ramos in the fourth inning and again deposited the ball over the center field fence for a 2-0 lead.

He's getting pretty good at it.

This is Jones' fourth career two-homer game, the last coming July 26, 2013 against the Red Sox.

Bud Norris walked the leadoff hitter in each of the first three innings without giving up a run. Matt Joyce singled leading off the fourth.

Update II: David DeJesus also reached base leading off the fifth. He just happened to circle them.

DeJesus homered on Norris' first pitch to reduce the Orioles' lead to 2-1. He's 8-for-15 with three homers lifetime against Norris.

All three home runs tonight have come on the first pitch. Jones leads DeJesus 2-1.

Norris has thrown 86 pitches in five innings. Joseph flied to right field in his second at-bat, making him 0-for-2 in his debut. But he's doing a nice job behind the plate.