Michele Crisco of Harford County was the Home Run Riches Contestant of the Game on April 30 and won a $10,500 prize when the Orioles hit two grand slams against the Houston Astros.
A daytime doubleheader at Camden Yards became doubly fun when the Baltimore Orioles hit a pair of grand slams on April 30, delivering a $10,500 prize for a Harford County woman.
The 63-year-old winner, Michele Crisco, said that once she had been selected in the Maryland Lottery’s 2026 Contestant of the Game second-chance promotion she knew she had to be there at the ballpark, so she bought tickets to the April 30 game and waited to enjoy the moment.
And what a moment it was!
Crisco was the Contestant of the Game for a 12:35 p.m. game on April 30 — a contest that turned out to be the first game of a doubleheader after the O’s and Houston Astros were rained out the day before.
The Orioles were leading 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning when they loaded the bases and catcher Adley Rutschman hit a fly ball to deep center field. Astros’ outfielder Brice Matthews nearly made a miraculous catch, as he had the ball in his glove when he collided with the outfield wall. But the impact jarred the ball loose, and Matthews dropped it over the fence, giving Rutschman a grand slam, giving the O’s a commanding 5-0 lead — and giving Crisco $5,000.
Two innings later, while still riding high from that dramatic turn of events, Crisco’s total winnings increased by another $5,000 when second baseman Jeremiah Jackson stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and hit another grand slam.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” said Crisco, reflecting on her big day at the ballpark.
This long-time Baltimore fan has deep family roots that have engrained a love for all things Orioles baseball. Crisco said her great uncle was a ticket-taker and then part of the security team when the Orioles played at Memorial Stadium. She also has an ongoing battle for the rankings of her favorite Orioles of all time — a debate that will now surely include Rutschman and Jackson.
Crisco won her spot as the Contestant of the Game by entering her FAST PLAY Home Run Riches Walk-Off Winnings tickets into My Lottery Rewards and being selected in the promotion’s first drawing in late March.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am. People always ask me, ‘Do you think people really win it’ and now I can say they really do,” said Crisco.
Each Contestant of the Game wins $500 for being selected and is assigned to a game. The Contestant then wins $500 for each Orioles’ home run and $5,000 for each Orioles’ grand slam during their designated game.
Lottery players entering the Contestant of the Game promotion can also to opt in for the chance to win a VIP Game Day Experience, which begins a $2,000 prize for being selected in addition to the prizes for any home runs or grand slams the Orioles hit in their designated game. VIP Contestants also receive a parking pass and four tickets in the Truist Club section behind home plate, including access to food and beverages during the game, an interview with MASN All Access, and the opportunity to watch pre-game batting practice from the field.
Drawings for the promotion’s VIP Game Day Experience and Contestants of the Game for other dates will take place monthly, and one VIP winner is selected each month. The next drawing deadline is May 25, with the drawing for June Contestants of the Game taking place on May 26. Lottery players must enter each Contestant of the Game drawing separately. Each entry is valid only for the next available drawing and will not carry over into the following drawings.
Home Run Riches Walk-Off Winnings FAST PLAY tickets are $5 and are available at all Maryland Lottery retailers, from clerk-operated terminals and self-service vending machines. The game features a progressive jackpot that starts at $40,000 and grows with each ticket sold until a jackpot-winning ticket is purchased. There are also thousands of additional instant-win prizes ranging from $5 to $5,000.
