Jones' 10th-inning single lifts Orioles past White Sox

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Once the Baltimore Orioles got two runs in the ninth inning off Bobby Jenks to force extra innings, they figured might as well take their improbable comeback to the next level.

"Once we got into extra innings, we said, 'Why not just win this thing?' " said Adam Jones, who helped them do just that.

Jones singled in the game-winning run in the 10th inning, giving the Orioles a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night.

Baltimore trailed 5-2 in the eighth before rallying to split the two-game series.

After scoring their third unearned run to close to 5-3, the Orioles had to go up against Jenks, who entered in the ninth looking to go 7-for-7 in save situations. Brian Roberts got Baltimore within a run with a two-out RBI double, and Melvin Mora grounded a 3-2 pitch up the middle to tie it.

Of Jenks' 13 career blown saves, three have come at Camden Yards.

"When we tied the game, we knew we were going to win," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "That's just the feeling that was in that dugout."

Kevin Millar led off the 10th with a walk from Boone Logan (1-1) and advanced on a walk to Luke Scott. After Aubrey Huff hit a fly to left, Jones hit a liner inside the left-field line that scored Millar without a throw.

"The best thing we have had so far is our bullpen, and they didn't get it done tonight," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Jenks wouldn't talk after the game, but Logan said, "We're not perfect. Bobby, no matter how good he is, isn't going to have 100 percent every night. What happened, happened. Then I came in and they kept hitting, but the walks didn't help."

Nick Markakis homered for the Orioles, whose only lead in the series came when Millar crossed the plate. George Sherrill (1-0) pitched the 10th to earn the win.

Carlos Quentin hit two homers and Joe Crede also connected for Chicago, now 9-1 when leading after eight innings.

After the Orioles drew even with two unearned runs in the sixth, Quentin and Crede connected on successive pitches from Jeremy Guthrie to put Chicago up 4-2. Quentin's homer ended a 3-for-25 skid, and Crede's drive upped his RBI total to 18.

Quentin added a solo shot off Dennis Sarfate in the eighth. It was the second two-homer game of his career; the other came last May for Arizona against Colorado.

Chicago starter Gavin Floyd, who went to high school in Baltimore, pitched six innings of two-hit ball in a memorable homecoming. He struck out four, walked two and lowered his ERA to 1.40.

"It was fun pitching here. I grew up watching the Orioles, so to pitch here was special," Floyd said.

In his last start, the right-hander held Detroit hitless through 7 1/3 innings. In this one, Floyd retired the first 12 batters before Millar bounced a single off the glove of Crede at third base.

That was Baltimore's lone hit until Markakis homered with a man on in the sixth. Both runs were unearned, because the inning began with Luis Hernandez reaching on an error by first baseman Paul Konerko.

The Orioles' third run was also tainted. After the 100-game errorless streak of White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski ended with an errant throw in the eighth, Scott hit an RBI double.

Pierzynski also went 0-for-5, snapping his bat over his knee after a foul out in the 10th.

Game notes
Chicago's Jim Thome drew two walks, moving past Willie Mays into 18th on the career list with 1,465. ... The White Sox have outhomered the opposition 22-5. ... Markakis has reached safely in 15 of 16 games. ... Orlando Cabrera stole second in the seventh, Chicago's first steal since opening day.