Cron hits 1st big league homer, Diamondbacks beat Jays

Jun 7, 2019, 7:25 PM | Updated: 7:28 pm

Kevin Cron #32 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a three-run home run for his first career MLB home run in the fourth inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 7, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

TORONTO — Kevin Cron hit his first major league home run, David Peralta had a solo shot among his three hits and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 Friday night.

Merrill Kelly (6-6) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings for his second straight victory, and the Diamondbacks won for the fourth time in six games after a five-game losing streak.

Kelly is 5-2 with a 1.84 ERA in seven starts following a Diamondbacks victory.

Archie Bradley worked the eighth and T.J. McFarland finished.

Peralta singled in the second, drove in Arizona’s first run with an RBI single in the fourth, and homered in the sixth.

Arizona catcher Carson Kelly hit a solo home run in the ninth, his sixth of the season.

Toronto has scored two runs or fewer 25 times this season, second only to Miami (29). The Blue Jays are 1-24 in those games, and have lost 12 of 15 overall.

Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman (3-8) gave up eight hits and matched his season-worst by allowing six runs in 5 2/3 innings, losing his second straight outing.

The Diamondbacks broke a scoreless deadlock with a five-run fourth. Ketel Marte hit a one-out single, Eduardo Escobar walked and Peralta followed with an RBI single. A second run scored on Christian Walker’s ground rule double before Cron cleared the bases with a homer to left.

The 26-year-old Cron led all minor leaguers with 21 home runs when he was called up May 24.

Toronto’s Teoscar Hernández got the Blue Jays on the board with a two-out homer in the fifth, his fourth.

Peralta pushed the lead back to five runs with a leadoff homer, his eighth of the season, in the sixth off Stroman. Escobar added an RBI single in the seventh.

Toronto’s Randal Grichuk scored from first base in the ninth when shortstop Nick Ahmed made a throwing error on Lourded Gurriel Jr.’s infield single.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: OF Adam Jones (right hamstring) was held out of the starting lineup for a second straight game. Jones left Tuesday’s game in the fourth inning. … 3B Jake Lamb (strained left quadriceps) is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Reno on Saturday. He’s been out since April 3.

Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette went 0 for 1 with two walks in a rehab game at Class-A Dunedin. It was Bichette’s first game since April 22, when he was hit by a pitch and broke his left hand while playing for Triple-A Buffalo. … RHP David Phelps will make his next rehab appearance with Triple-A. Phelps pitched a scoreless inning for Dunedin on Wednesday. … 1B Justin Smoak got the day off. Cavan Biggio made his first start at first base.

TOUCH UP JOB

Groundskeepers came out to work on the mound before Bradley took over in the bottom of the eighth.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Grienke (6-2, 3.09) is 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his past six road starts. He last faced Toronto in 2010.

Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-6, 3.95) is winless since beating Oakland on April 27. He’s 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA in seven starts since.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte celebrates in the dugout after scoring in a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron (32) greeted at home plate by Christian Walker (53) after hitting a three run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Kevin Cron, right, is greeted at home plate by David Peralta (6) after hitting a three run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peralta greeted at dugout by teammate Ketel Marte after he hit a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo takes the ball from starting pitcher Marcus Stroman in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman looks at a home run by Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peraltain in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman stands off the mound after giving up a home run to Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peralta rounding the bases behind him in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gestures to dugout for a review of play at second base with Arizona Diamondbacks Jarrod Dyson stealing in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. The play was reviewed, and Dyson was ruled safe. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Archie Bradley waits as the mound is repaired during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson is safe stealing second, beating the tag attempt by Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game Friday, June 7, 2019, in Toronto. (Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press via AP)

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