The Baltimore Orioles centerfielder has soared this April. His 33 hits lead all of baseball, and he ranks in the top ten in doubles (9) and batting average (.340).
Teams throughout MLB are learning that this isn’t the same player that hit .224 over his first 374 at-bats entering the 2021 campaign. Somebody kidnapped that guy and left us a Tim “Rock” Raines clone in his place.
On Thursday afternoon, the New York Yankees went to class once again.
It wasn’t a repeat of the two-homer performance on Monday night that helped push the O’s past the Yankees in the AL East standings, but it was just as effective.
After losing the middle two games of this four-game series, the Orioles needed a spark. It was only right that it was delivered by one of the most electrifying talents in the bigs.
Mullins opened the game for Baltimore with a leadoff single to left. Two batters later, he scored the first run of the afternoon as well.
Yankees lefty Jordan Montgomery settled down and got Mullins to line out in his second AB before sending him down swinging like he was in Mint Condition in the bottom of the fifth. But with Montgomery gone in the eighth, the Yankees luck with Mullins had run out.
With the game tied 2-2, Mullins led off once again. Righty reliever Darren O’Day didn’t try to get anywhere near the zone, walking him on five pitches.
Austin Hays then sent a rope to center field, and the race was on. It wasn’t really a race, because no one was catching Mullins as he scored all the way from first to put the Orioles up 3-2.
The game was tied 3-3 going into extra innings.
With one out and a man on third (don’t get me started on the extra inning rules), it was Mullins vs Jonathan Loaisiga with the winning run on third. Loaisiga’s 0-1 changeup didn’t change and Mullins sent it deep enough into center field to bring in the winning run for the first walk-off hit of his young career.
For those keeping record, Mullins finished the game 1-3 with a walk, two runs scored and one run batted in.
Just another day at the office.
Rare footage of Cedric Mullins not getting a hit.
Common footage of Cedric Mullins torching the other team. pic.twitter.com/wiUFNkggpI
— Baltimore Orioles ? (@Orioles) April 29, 2021
Throughout the Orioles’ 11-14 start, Mullins has essentially been the Orioles’ offense.
Baltimore ranks near the bottom of the AL in nearly every major category. The O’s only have one other hitter in their entire lineup batting higher than .250, and Freddy Galvis isn’t going to be counted on to carry the load anytime soon.
It’s been a while since Baltimore had a legitimate Black star. I mean a while. Adam Jones basically got driven out of town. Other than him, the soul cupboard has been bare.
The P’s may have finally found him.
The Yankees learned on Thursday.
Who’s going to school next?