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Jones' double leads Orioles past Red Sox

Jun 3, 2008 - 4:05 AM By Sean Burns PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- After loading the bases with nobody out in the eighth inning, it appeared for a moment that the Baltimore Orioles were going to do no better than tie things up against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.

But, with two outs and the bases still loaded, Orioles center fielder Adam Jones came through with a huge double, plating all three runners to lead Baltimore to a 6-3 victory - its 14th come-from-behind win of the season.

"We just wanted to get on the plane and head to another city with a win," said Jones, who also had the game-winning hit in a come-from-behind victory over Seattle in April.

"I'm getting used to (hitting in pressure situations). I like hitting with runners on base, I've got to be more selective. In both (games), I was just in the right place at the right time."

The rally, which helped the Orioles avoid a four-game home sweep at the hands of their American League East foes, was started by three straight singles by Nick Markakis, Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff off Boston's Hideki Okajima (1-1).

Kevin Millar tied the game at 3-3 with a long sacrifice fly, but Mora was caught in a rundown trying to score on a grounder by Luke Scott for the second out. Ramon Hernandez then squeezed out a walk to keep the inning alive and Jones followed by ripping Okajima's offering off the left field wall to clear the bases.

"We had some timely hitting," said Baltimore manager David Trembley, who was ejected in the third inning by home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez for arguing balls and strikes. "It was a good baseball game for us to win."

The rally made a winner out of Jim Johnson (1-2), who came in with the game tied in the eighth and allowed a run on Mike Lowell's RBI single, but stranded Lowell on third with a key double play to end the inning turned by Brian Roberts.

"That was a huge play," Johnson said. "I've got to give a lot of credit to (Roberts) for sticking in there and getting that one done. Hopefully this gives us a little momentum going into the road trip."

George Sherrill worked the ninth for his 18th save.

The eighth-inning rally ended a streak of 14 consecutive scoreless innings by Boston relievers.

With Baltimore holding a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning, Manny Ramirez hit his third home run in as many games, increasing his career number to 502 - two behind Baltimore Hall of Famer Eddie Murray.

The Red Sox added single runs in the seventh and eighth to take the lead, but Baltimore rallied to improve to 27-29.

Both starters were solid despite the no-decisions, with Boston's Tim Wakefield lasting seven innings and allowing two runs on five hits and four walks.

Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and striking out five. In his last four starts, the young righthander is 0-3, allowing a combined 23 hits and seven runs.

"To (Guthrie's) credit, he's as tough as nails and he's the epitome of a team guy," Trembley said. "Things that are out of his control don't bother him."

The loss for Boston was compounded by news that designated David Ortiz will be out for at least a month after an MRI exam revealed ligament damage in his left wrist, an injury sustained on Saturday.