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HOUSTON -- Manny Machado is trying not to make too much of his big game on Sunday that led the Baltimore Orioles over Houston. Still, the slumping All-Star cant help but think it could be a turning point in a season thats off to a tough start. "I hope so. I really hope so," he said. "(Sunday) was a good day at the plate. Felt good, and my legs are finally getting under me. Feel like I can continue that." Machado hit his first career grand slam, David Lough homered and drove in three runs, and the Orioles beat the Astros 9-4. Orioles slugger Nelson Cruz, leading the majors with 20 home runs and 52 RBIs, left in the third inning with a bruised left hand after being hit by a pitch from Scott Feldman. X-rays were negative and Cruz was listed as day to day. "Anytime you get hit in the hand you get concerned," Cruz said. "I tried to stay but I wasnt able to grab the bat. So hopefully (Monday) Ill be good." Machados towering shot capped a six-run sixth inning. The 21-year-old Machado missed the first month after off-season knee surgery and has struggled since his return, prompting manager Buck Showalter to move him from the second spot to seventh in the batting order. He was back to batting second on Sunday and also doubled, giving him two hits for the second straight game and raising his average to .230. Machado doesnt feel like hes back to last years form, but hes making progress. "I feel much (more) comfortable in there," he said. "It was overall a good day. The pitching staff threw well. Were finally getting some hits when we need to. Things are coming into place." Wei-Yin Chen (6-2) scattered four hits with one run over 5 1-3 innings. Feldman (3-3) allowed nine runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings. Matt Dominguez hit a two-run homer in the eighth for the Astros, who have lost two straight after winning a season-high seven in a row. Machado doubled before Feldman plunked Cruz. Machado and Cruz pulled off a double steal before a sacrifice fly by Adam Jones made it 3-0. Cruz was replaced in right field for the bottom of the third inning. He didnt think that Feldman, who was a teammate of his in Texas, tried to hit him and Feldman said it was in no way in intentional. "I didnt want to hit him," Feldman said. "I checked after the game to make sure he was all right and they said it was just a bruise so that was a little relieving. It happens, its part of the game trying to pitch inside." The Orioles open a series at Texas, where Cruz spent the last eight seasons, on Tuesday. Showalter expects Cruz to try to play when the series begins. "Hes going to be sore," Showalter said. "If I know Nelson, hes going to want to play on Tuesday. Its got nothing to do with who were playing. He just likes to be there." Astros rookie George Springer snapped an 0-for-9 slump with a double that sailed over the head of Lough in right field to start the fourth inning. Chris Carters two-out single cut Baltimores lead to 3-1. Chris Davis, J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop hit consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs in the sixth. Lough hit an RBI single, and an intentional walk to Nick Markakis set up Machados third homer. "I got into a situation there in the sixth that really just got out of hand," Feldman said. "Bases loaded and I just couldnt make a good pitch to Machado and left one right over the middle." Both teams had nifty plays by an outfielder. Left fielder Delmon Young robbed Jonathan Villar of a hit when he made a sliding catch shortly after entering the game in the third. Houstons defensive highlight came when right fielder Springer sprinted to make the catch on a sacrifice fly by Nick Hundley in the sixth. Springer slipped and fell on his backside after making the catch and made the throw in while still on the ground. NOTES: Showalter said Baltimore RHP Tommy Hunter, on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 21 with a left groin strain, felt good after throwing a bullpen session. He will travel to meet the team during its series at Texas and throw another bullpen session there on Tuesday before a decision is made on when hell begin a rehabilitation assignment. ... Houston recalled RHP Paul Clemens from Triple-A Oklahoma City and optioned LHP Brett Oberholtzer to the minor league team. Ryan Reaves Jersey . After two months of mediocrity, perhaps the Washington Nationals have turned the page. Strasburg struck out 11 in seven innings Wednesday night and the Nationals kept the Philadelphia Phillies bats quiet yet again in an 8-4, rain-interrupted win. Brad Hunt Jersey . -- Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didnt realize he had broken the rules. http://www.goldenknightssale.com/authent...ights-jersey/.2 million deal for the upcoming season with right-hander Garrett Richards.The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the announcement hadnt been made. Nate Schmidt Jersey . The Cottagers last victory came in a 2-1 home win over West Ham when Rene Meulensteen was still in charge. Since then, a miserable run of seven defeats and two draws has seen the club part with the Dutch coach and replace him with German Felix Magath. Tomas Tatar Jersey . However, Therrien added that Galchenyuks status for next Wednesdays game against the Detroit Red Wings is questionable. Galchenyuk has been out since Jan. 6 with a broken right hand.INDIANAPOLIS -- The orange and brown glasses slide down the bridge of Jacques Villeneuves nose. Along with the greying hair and growing bald spot, they give the Canadian driver a professorial vibe. Its only reinforced when he begins to speak. In clear, crisp sentences spiced by that unmistakable French-Canadian accent, Villeneuve lays out his opinion on just about anything -- especially when it comes to the Indy 500. He will talk about the latest generation of cars, lament the fact there is only one chassis manufacturer, and argue that spotters who are supposed to make the race safer have often had the opposite effect. Then hell talk about the speed and the danger. "Some younger drivers didnt grow up seeing racing as being dangerous," said Villeneuve, who is back at the Indianapolis 500 after a 19-year absence. "They break their little finger and they are surprised. Its like, Be happy its only that." Of course, Villeneuve forgets many of those younger drivers grew up watching him. James Hinchcliffe, a fellow Canadian, said his earliest memory of watching a race was 1995, when Villeneuve took advantage of a late penalty on Scott Goodyear to win the Indy 500. That was also the last time Villeneuve stepped into an Indy car at the iconic racetrack. At least, it was until this year. "Its cool to have him back," Hinchcliffe said, "because hes obviously one of the guys I looked up to as a young driver, and one of the guys I never thought Id have a chance to race." Villeneuve spent nearly two decades driving just about everything but an IndyCar. He won a Formula One title, tried his hand at NASCAR and drove at Le Mans. He dabbled in RallyCross and even raced V8 Supercars around the street circuits of Australia. But the lure of Indy started to tug him back. Villeneuve, who will start 27th on Sunday, watched with rapt attention last year as Tony Kanaan took the checkered flag. He was intrigued by the record number of lead changes, the way cars moved through the field and how stiff the competition had become. Villeneuve managed to land a ride with team owners Sam Schmidt and Rick Peterson, and will be part of a staable that includes Mikhail Aleshin and Simon Pagenaud on Sunday.dddddddddddd "If I jumped from F-1 to this again, it wouldnt be an issue," Villeneuve said of the return to open-wheel racing, "but the first 20 laps, your eyes, your brain -- its not used to those speeds, so it is a big shock. You have to get out, breath again, and then get back in and its like, All right. Business as usual." His team may be an underfunded underdog, at least compared to heavyweights Penske, Ganassi and Andretti Autosport, and he may have struggled Friday in the final practice on Carb Day. But none of that will convince Villeneuve that he doesnt have a chance to win. "When I won here we were two laps down and we spent the whole race minding our own business," he said. "Thats the key: You should mind your own business. Figure out what is happening with everyone else at the end. You need a little bit of luck, and then you need to see how it pans out. I just hope Im not one of those people who does something stupid." Pagenaud was surprised to see his new teammate prepare for the race the moment he arrived in Indianapolis. Qualifying was almost an afterthought as Villeneuve gazed ahead to Sunday. "It actually makes me wonder why he focused so much on the race," Pagenaud said with a wry grin. "Im sure hell come up with something in the race and Ill learn then." If he does come up with something, Villeneuve could make history. The 43-year-old would break Al Unsers record of 17 years between victories that has stood since 1987. Even if he doesnt win, though, a good showing could prove invaluable. Villeneuve has dropped hints that he may be try to run the IndyCar series full-time next year, and that would turn the Indy 500 into quite an audition. "I had an opportunity to spend half an hour with Jacques in the garage area a week ago," said Goodyear, now an analyst for ABC. "Through all the questions I was asking him, catching up with him, I asked him, Why come back to something that youve won, have great memories with? "He said, Racing is my oxygen. I need to race something." ' ' '