Baltimore, MD – Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy and Brian Roberts hit solo homers to back seven strong innings from Miguel Gonzalez and the Orioles beat the White Sox 3-1 Thursday in the opener of a four-game series.
Gonzalez (9-7) -- 0-4 with a 6.68 ERA in his last eight appearances, including six starts -- allowed just a run on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Tommy Hunter and Jim Johnson threw the last two innings to lock down the win, with Johnson earning his 42nd save.
The Orioles, coming off a 3-6 road trip, started an eight-game homestand.
Fighting to stay in the AL Wild Card race, they got back in the win column.
"They're all significant from here on out," said Orioles manager Buck Showalter. "If we take care of business it will be an interesting end of the season. It's an every day grind. It's difficult to do."
The White Sox's losing streak reached seven games -- they were swept in three- game series' by the Red Sox and Yankees to start a 10-game road trip. Dayan Viciedo had two of their five hits.
"It's frustrating," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of his team's struggles. "You just keep going. There is nothing else you can do."
The Orioles hit all three of their homers off Chicago starter Jose Quintana (7-6), who allowed seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts.
Jones hit his 30th home run of the season on an off-speed pitch in the first inning.
The White Sox didn't have a hit until Conor Gillaspie's leadoff single in the third inning. Gillaspie scored when Alejandro De Aza grounded into a bases- loaded double play, tying the game at 1-1.
Hardy led off the fifth inning with his 25th homer of the season to put the Orioles back on top and Roberts hit his fourth with two outs to make it 3-1.
Hunter gave up a single to De Aza in the eighth but stranded him on base and Johnson threw a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two.
Game Notes
The Orioles declined to move the date of the game, so the NFL's Ravens played their season opener in Denver against the Broncos on Thursday night. It is tradition in the NFL for the reigning Super Bowl champions to kick off the new season with a home game, but Baltimore's two pro teams couldn't hash things out to make that happen ... The Orioles activated pitcher Jason Hammel off the 15-day disabled list. The right-hander had been sidelined since July 29 with a right flexor mass strain. The Orioles also recalled right-handed pitcher Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned left-hander Zach Britton to short- season Class-A Aberdeen.
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