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Jones stars as O's take series from White Sox

Apr 20, 2012 - 6:45 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Adam Jones hit a two-run homer and finished with three RBI on Thursday and the Orioles downed the White Sox, 5-3, in the finale of a four-game series.

Jason Hammel (2-0) gave up two runs on six hits and three walks over six innings and tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts in the win. Jim Johnson struck out Alex Rios with two down and the bases loaded in the ninth for his sixth save of the season.

J.J. Hardy and Nick Johnson added an RBI apiece for Baltimore, which has won five of its last seven, including three games in this series.

Gavin Floyd (1-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks over six innings. Rios, Adam Dunn and Alexei Ramirez each knocked in a run for the White Sox, who struck out 16 times and have dropped four of their last five games.

"They are a very aggressive team so they are going to swing at bad stuff if you get ahead in the count," said Hammel.

The Orioles went on top for good in the fifth. Hardy's sac fly scored Robert Andino, who led off with a triple. Later in the inning, with Endy Chavez aboard, Jones lifted a two-out homer to left for a 5-2 Baltimore lead.

Pedro Strop allowed Ramirez's one-out RBI groundout in the eighth before striking out Dayan Viciedo and Tyler Flowers to strand Rios at second.

Jim Johnson retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth before walking A.J. Pierzynski, allowing a single to Dunn and hitting Paul Konerko to load the bases. He then fanned Rios with a 1-2 curveball to end the game.

Baltimore scored twice in the first to take an early advantage. Chavez led off with a walk, took second on a base hit by Nick Markakis and scored on a double to right-center by Jones. Markakis then scored on Nick Johnson's groundout.

The White Sox loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning with two outs on a walk, a base hit and a strikeout wild pitch, but Ramirez bounced out to short.

They tied it in the third. Alejandro De Aza led off with a double and scored on Dunn's two-bagger. Konerko moved Dunn to third with a base hit before Rios placed a run-scoring single through the right side. Ramirez followed with a one-out walk to load the bases, but Viciedo and Flowers again went down on strikes to end the inning.

"It's like you're getting close and it's just not happening. They are still grinding it out even though they are down and eventually they will push through," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of his team.

Game Notes

Jones leads Baltimore with five home runs...The Orioles have 21 home runs on the season...The White Sox concluded a seven-game homestand (3-4) and begin a six-game road trip Friday at Seattle.