Mullins Hits For Cycle And Delivers A Web Gem

Mullins Hits For Cycle And Delivers A Web Gem

by | May 13, 2023 | 5TH SLOT

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins had a night which came full circle at Camden Yards. The elder statesman MLBbro hit for the cycle Friday as the baby birds opened a three game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 6-3 win.

Mullins, who is beginning to look like the all star player he was in 2021, sent the fans home smiling after giving them a piece of history. He almost delivered a perfect evening at the plate with four hits in five at-bats including a three run homer in the eighth inning which completed the seventh cycle in Orioles history since moving to Charm City in 1954. It was the 12th overall in the franchise’s history which began as the St. Louis Browns.

Mullins is the first Orioles’ MLBbro to hit for the cycle in team history. It was the first since Austin Hays pulled off the statistical anomaly last June against the Washington Nationals. However, it does put him in the same category with some of the greats in team history.

Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson was the first to accomplish the feat with the Orioles franchise in 1960. The next didn’t happen for nearly a quarter century until Cal Ripken, Jr. pulled it off in 1984. Aubrey Huff had his cycle moment in 2007 and two years later in 2009 Félix Pié joined the somewhat illustrious list. Baltimore then waited another decade before Jonathan Villar accomplished the feat in 2019.

“You obviously know that you’re a single swing away from the cycle, but at the same time, you’re trying to get a job done, drive some runs in, and everything just kind of fell in line,” Mullins said.

Mullins hit for the cycle on Friday with a single in the third inning, a triple in the fifth, a double in the seventh and then a homer to right field in the bottom of the eighth. Mullins also made a diving catch in the outfield in Baltimore’s 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
After being retired in his first at-bat, Mullins singled in the third inning. His RBI triple in the fifth tied the game and doubled in the seventh and then a homered to right field in the bottom of the eighth that basically put the game on ice.

Mullins also created a web gem when he stole a hit from Jack Suwinski to open the seventh in right centerfield.

Manager Brandon Hyde has fluctuated where Mullins has been hitting in the lineup all season between the leading off and hitting ninth. Friday he was back in the leadoff spot which gave him what amounted to be an extra at bat for him to turn the game into a special moment after a walk to Terrin Vavra in the eighth set up Mullins magic memory.