Kevin Cron hit a three-shot for his first major league homer, Merrill Kelly pitched seven strong innings and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-2 Friday night.

David Peralta had three hits, including a solo homer and an RBI single, for the Diamondbacks, who have won two in a row. Catcher Carson Kelly added a solo blast for Arizona in the opener of a three-game series.

Teoscar Hernandez homered for the Blue Jays, who have lost two straight.

Merrill Kelly (6-6) allowed one run, Hernandez's solo homer, on three hits and two walks while striking out three.

Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman (3-8) allowed six runs, including two home runs, among seven hits and two walks while striking out four in 5 2/3 innings

The Diamondbacks scored five runs in the fourth. Ketel Marte singled with one out and Eduardo Escobar walked. Peralta drove in one run with a single, and Christian Walker's ground-rule double brought in another run. Cron followed with his home run, which came in his 12th career game.

Hernandez hit his fourth homer this season with two out in the fifth. It was the Blue Jays' second hit of the game.

Peralta led off the sixth with his eighth home run of the season to extend the Diamondbacks' lead to 6-1. Following a two-out single by Nick Ahmed, Derek Law replaced Stroman to finish the inning with a strikeout.

The Diamondbacks took a 7-1 lead with a run in the seventh against Law. Jarrod Dyson walked and stole second, his 13th theft of the season, and scored on Escobar's single.

Merrill Kelly survived a walk and a single in the seventh.

Toronto's Elvis Luciano pitched around a single in the top of the eighth, while Archie Bradley replaced Merrill Kelly and pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth.

With Luciano still pitching in the top of the ninth, Carson Kelly led off with his sixth home run of the season.

T.J. McFarland allowed a run in the bottom of the ninth on Randal Grichuk's single and a throwing error on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s single to shortstop.

--Field Level Media