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Angels Drop Opener to Orioles on 12th Inning Walk-Off Homer

By Jose Serrano

Jul 29, 2014

Jul 29, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates after hitting the game winning solo home run in the twelfth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles defeated the Angels 7-6 in twelve innings. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Six lead changes, 11 pitching changes, and four hours after their series opener started, the Baltimore Orioles walked away with a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night.

The Halo bullpen tossed six shutout innings before O’s third baseman Manny Machado launched a 12^th inning walk-off home run, the first of his career. Machado took Cory Rasmus’ 1-2 curveball into Oriole Park’s left field grandstands, snapping Los Angeles relievers’ streak of 26 2/3 consecutive scoreless frames.

Angels starter Jered Weaver didn’t help matters much, yielding six runs on seven hits through five innings. Four walks allowed ties a season high and directly contributed to Baltimore’s big fourth inning.

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Weaver walked Steve Pearce and Nick Hundley before Nick Markakis bounced his fastball off the right field foul pole for a three-run homer. By that time, the Angels had already lost two leads.

Josh Hamilton’s first inning groundout brought Mike Trout home, giving the Halos a 1-0 advantage. Baltimore answered with two run in the bottom of frame, but David Freese’s fielder’s choice and Kole Calhoun’s RBI double tied things up.

Hank Conger’s fourth-inning sac fly gave the Angels a short-lived 4-3 lead before Markakis’ bomb shifted momentum.

Hamilton-a .362 hitter at Camden Yards- brought them one run closer with a solo shot in the fifth, but it would be his seventh inning at-bat that led to extra innings.

With two outs, Trout was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on Pujols’ sharp single to left. Hamilton followed with a dribbler to shortstop J.J. Hardy, but second baseman Ryan Flaherty wasn’t in position to tag second. Hamilton narrowly beat Hardy’s throw to first while Trout crossed home plate.

Erick Aybar had the opportunity to put the Angels ahead in the 12^th after Pujols and Hamilton reached on back-to-back, two-out hits. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant be Aybar’s night as he lined out to first base, completing an 0-for-6 day.

Rasmus (2-1) escaped a two-on, two-out situation in the bottom of the frame but fell victim to Machado; Baltimore’s rising star.

The AL East leaders win their seventh straight extra inning contests while the Halos drop 2 ½ games behind division-leading Oakland. Los Angeles hitter’s went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position while leaving eight men on base.