Jones continues surge, keys extra-inning win

Outfielder homers, pushes in game-winner with walk; Godley goes six-plus in two-run start

April 17th, 2019

ATLANTA -- ' slugging resurgence continued Wednesday night at SunTrust Park in Atlanta to fuel the D-backs' 3-2 extra-inning win over the Braves.

Jones, who signed as a free agent with Arizona on March 11, was central to all three D-backs scoring rallies, blasting his fifth home run of the season, scoring from first to tie the game in the seventh and finally coaxing a bases-loaded walk to score the go-ahead run in the 10th.

“He’s been a great addition to this team,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “I keep saying it over and over. He’s a great baseball player, but on top of that, he’s also a great teammate and a great leader.”

Jones led by example, showing the professionalism he’s garnered over 13 big league seasons by drawing a walk from Braves reliever Jesse Biddle -- something he admitted wasn’t as easy as he made it look.

“I don’t really take too much. So yeah, that was really awkward for me to just sit there and be like, ‘Be patient, Adam. Be patient, Adam,’” Jones said with a laugh. “But it worked. I was just trying to make him throw a strike. … I had an approach and I stuck with my approach and it worked.”

Jones has been sticking with a winning approach at the plate so far in 2019. Entering Wednesday night he ranked among the top 10 in the National League in multi-hit games (T-3, 8), hits (T-6, 22), extra-base hits (T-8, 10) and total bases (T-10, 40). He's especially enjoyed hitting on the road, batting .342/.359/.684. Jones added to that total by launching a first-pitch splitter from Atlanta starter Kevin Gausman 432 feet deep into the left-field seats in the fourth inning, giving Arizona its first hit -- and the only one through six -- to cut the Braves’ lead in half.

“The guy’s a competitor,” Jones said of Gausman. “I’ve played behind him the majority of his career [in Baltimore], so I know his tenacity. He goes after people. I got a pitch and didn’t miss it.”

Jones also was part of Arizona’s seventh-inning, game-tying rally, scoring from first on a RBI double; it was Marte’s team-leading 14th RBI. Then, in the 10th, he worked the walk off Biddle. pitched two solid innings to earn the win, and earned his fourth save in as many opportunities with a scoreless 10th.

had a superb performance in his duel with Gausman. Godley pitched into the seventh for the first time this season, allowing only two earned runs and five hits, and he retired 12 straight at one point.

The key for Godley was getting out of the second inning. Atlanta had already scored twice and had first and second with nobody out. Facing Gausman in a sacrifice situation, Godley bore down, notching a strikeout then getting red-hot Ozzie Albies to hit a grounder up the middle for a 6-3 double play.

“That was huge. The strikeout of Gausman, that’s a big play, but then to get Albies, especially how he’s hitting the ball, it’s a big relief to end the inning with only two runs scored,” Godley said. “I came out for the next inning, and I obviously felt really good going into that inning. Getting that first guy to ground out the next inning, and just kind of going from there, everything rolled in together. It was nice.”

“He had a tremendous third, fourth, fifth. I think the key was being able to shut it down during the second,” catcher said. “Those are the type of innings that can get out of hand quickly.

“That’s a big point of emphasis for him and with him -- when you do get in trouble, try to lock it down and minimize damage. He did an excellent job there. He was able to continue to throw his off-speed and had a good sinker tonight and was able to get deep in the game.”

The D-backs have won the past two series they’ve played at SunTrust Park, and they’ll look for their first sweep there Thursday afternoon.

“You’ve got to be greedy,” Jones said. “It’s going to start with some doughnuts in the morning, then go out and hopefully not put up doughnuts on offense.”