Sanchez hits a grand slam off struggling Flaherty as the Padres beat the Orioles 10-3 #Sanchez #hits #grand #slam #struggling #Flaherty #Padres #beat #Orioles

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Gary Sanchez hit a grand slam in a five-run first inning and Manny Machado added a two-run double in the second against struggling Jack Flaherty to help the San Diego Padres beat the AL-leading Baltimore Orioles 10-3 on Tuesday night.

The offensive breakout made a winner of Michael Wacha (9-2) in his first start since July 1. He’s been on the injured list because of inflammation in his right shoulder. The Padres snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time in nine games.

Austin Hays homered in the ninth for the Orioles, whose three-game winning streak ended. It was his 11th.

Sanchez’s fifth career slam came three pitches after Flaherty (8-8) issued a third straight walk, to Jake Cronenworth to force in the inning’s first run. Sanchez then connected into the whiskey deck atop the wall in right center for the Padres’ first grand slam of the season. It was Sanchez’s 16th homer this season, all since he was picked up off waivers from the New York Mets on May 29.

Flaherty got two quick outs in the second but then allowed a double to Fernando Tatis Jr. and walked Juan Soto before Machado, who spent his first 6 1/2 big league seasons with Baltimore, doubled to left for a 7-0 lead.

Flaherty, making his third start with the Orioles since being acquired from St. Louis, allowed seven runs on four hits and four walks on 84 pitches in three innings. It was just the second time in 23 starts this season he failed to pitch into the fourth. The seven runs were the second-most he’s allowed this year.

The Padres made it 10-0 in the fifth when Garrett Cooper hit an RBI double and Ben Gamel followed with a two-run double for his first big league hit since Oct. 4 with Pittsburgh.

Catcher James McCann pitched the eighth for the Orioles and allowed two hits but no runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: Optioned LHP Ray Kerr to Triple-A El Paso to make room for Wacha on the active roster.

Orioles: OF Aaron Hicks wasn’t in the lineup after experiencing back soreness Monday night in his first game back from a stint on the injured list. Manager Brandon Hyde said Hicks would be available off the bench.

UP NEXT

Orioles RHP Dean Kremer (11-4, 4.50 ERA) and Padres LHP Blake Snell (9-8, 2.63), MLB’s ERA leader are scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday night.