Manny Machado hits walk-off grand slam in last of ninth

Orioles third baseman Manny Machado had a night to remember. He hit three homers tonight, the last of which was a walk-off grand slam in the last of the ninth.

That turned a potential 7-5 loss into a stunning 9-7 win over the Los Angeles Angels in the series opener. Machado produced his fourth career walk-off hit and third via a homer. It was Machado's seventh career grand slam and the Orioles' sixth of the year.

Anthony Santander started the O's ninth with his first big league hit, a single to right. With one out, pinch-hitter Seth Smith walked and Tim Beckham singled to load the bases.

Then Machado smoked a 98 mph fastball on an 0-1 pitch from right-hander Keynan Middleton over the center field wall.

It produced the Orioles' first walk-off grand slam since Matt Wieters did it on April 18, 2013 against Tampa Bay. This is the Orioles eighth walk-off win of the year.

Machado has hit three grand slams over the last 11 games. When batting with the bases loaded in 2017, he is 7-for-11 with three homers and 20 RBIs. Machado hit three homers also last Aug. 7 against Chicago at U.S. Celluar Field. He is the 16th different Oriole to have a three-homer game and it has happened 22 times in club history.

Earlier, left-hander Andrew Heaney allowed five runs and four homers over five innings. And it looked like he would get the win. But O's right-hander Jeremy Hellickson had a worse night.

Making his fourth start for the Orioles, Hellickson allowed seven runs, including a career-high five homers, over 4 2/3 innings.

The teams combined for 10 homers, with each club hitting five. The Angels hit four the first time through the order off Hellickson as they led 5-1 after two innings.

Albert Pujols connected for a two-run shot in the first. It was career homer No. 609, which ties him with Sammy Sosa both for No. 8 on the all-time homers list and for the most homers ever by a foreign-born player.

Machado earlier hit a two-run homer and solo shot among the four the Orioles had before he belted the game-winner. It is Machado's third multi-homer game of this year and the 12th of his career. He now has 26 for the season.

Hellickson's five homers allowed came among eight hits. His previous high was three. Four of the first nine batters homered and he had allowed four homers through just 1 1/3 innings.

Hellickson has a 6.35 ERA in four starts with the Orioles. He gave up three runs over 13 innings his first two starts, but has allowed 13 runs over 9 2/3 his last two. Over the last three games, Orioles starting pitchers have given up 16 runs over 13 2/3 innings.

Down by that 5-1 score after two innings, the Orioles scored three in the third to trail 5-4 as Caleb Joseph hit a solo shot and Machado a two-run homer for his first of the night. Mark Trumbo had hit No. 19 in the second inning.

But Mike Trout's two-run homer to left in the fifth, which was No. 23, extended the Los Angeles lead to 7-4. Machado's solo homer in the home half of that inning made it a 7-5 game.

The O's appeared on their way to a disappointing loss. Then they produced a thrilling win.

In the second game of this series on Saturday night, right-hander Kevin Gausman (9-8, 5.08 ERA) gets the start for the Orioles against right-hander J.C. Ramirez (10-10, 4.26 ERA).