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Seattle Mariners

Manny Machado, Orioles slam past slumping Mariners, 11-3

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo throws against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, in Seattle. He allowed eight runs and did not make it through the fifth inning. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
By Tim Booth Associated Press

SEATTLE – Tim Beckham hit the first pitch of the game out for his first career leadoff homer, Manny Machado hit the sixth grand slam of his career an inning later, and the Baltimore Orioles routed the Seattle Mariners 11-3 on Monday night.

Baltimore pounded Seattle’s pitching, scoring double-digit runs for the second time in three games and the sixth time since the All-Star break. Beckham got the Orioles started with his 16th homer, but it was Machado’s slam that broke the game open as part of Baltimore’s six-run second inning. Machado drove a 1-2 pitch into the first row of the second deck in left field for his second grand slam this season.

Trey Mancini hit his 21st homer and Seth Smith added his 12th to turn it into a blowout.

That was plenty of runs for Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman (9-8), who stumbled early before settling into a groove. Gausman retired 12 of 13 at one point, the stretch broken up by Mike Zunino’s homer leading off the fifth inning.

Gausman allowed one earned run in seven innings, scattering six hits and striking out six. It was the fifth time in his last six starts Gausman allowed one earned run or less and just the second time in 14 career road starts against A.L. West teams he got the victory.

Meanwhile, Seattle’s sudden fade from the wild-card race continued. The Mariners lost their fifth straight – all at home – coming off a nine-game road trip where they went 6-3 and were holding the second wild-card spot in the A.L.

Starting pitching continued to be the primary issue for Seattle. Yovani Gallardo (5-8) was tagged for eight runs and failed to record an out in the fifth inning. He pitched that deep as Seattle tried to save its overworked bullpen. Casey Lawrence gave up a two-run homer to Smith in the fifth inning and a solo shot to Mancini in the seventh.

Nelson Cruz hit his 29th homer in the ninth inning for Seattle.

Beckham lights it up

Since being acquired from Tampa Bay, Beckham has been surging at the plate. Beckham is hitting .500 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in the past 14 games. He has at least one hit in 13 of the 14.

Major league debut

The constant roster churn of Seattle’s bullpen continued with the addition hard-throwing right-hander Thyago Vieira on Monday. Vieira, 24, made his major league debut pitching a perfect ninth inning and hitting triple-digits on the stadium radar gun. The Brazilian was part of the World Team for the All-Star Futures Game this year.