Baltimore Orioles: Cedric Mullins’ Historic Series vs. CLE

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins caught fire against the Cleveland Indians this weekend, racking up hits at a historic rate

Over the weekend, the Baltimore Orioles welcomed the Cleveland Indians into Oriole Park at Camden Yards for a three-game set, boasting confidence after snapping the 14-game losing streak the team suffered in the final weeks of May. Throughout the series, that newfound confidence shined through for Cedric Mullins.

On Friday, Mullins went a pedestrian 1-for-3 with a walk. However, the effort landed the Orioles a 3-1 victory, extending Baltimore’s winning streak to three games and setting the table for the absurd offensive contribution Mullins would put together on Saturday.

Batting lead-off on Saturday, Mullins would launch a pair of home runs against Cleveland’s starter, Aaron Civale, as part of a five-hit game; his second of the season. According to Stathead, the game made Mullins just the third hitter in Baltimore Orioles history to have multiple five-hit games in a single season. The performance also rocketed his season-long batting average from .298 up to .314, cracking the illustrious .300 mark again after falling below it back on May 20th against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Mullins continued his offensive clinic on Sunday as well, raking in three hits and a pair of walks in the Orioles’ lopsided 18-5 victory to take the series. The day’s hits included a single, a double, and a home run, leaving Mullins just a triple short of hitting for the cycle. The first-inning home run would give Mullins his first career back-to-back home run games, however.

In the eighth inning, Mullins was presented with the opportunity to tie the franchise record for most hits in consecutive at-bats. The record is held by Ken Singleton, who recorded a hit in 10 consecutive at-bats in 1981. And, while Mullins would, unfortunately, line out to left field in the at-bat, coming as close as he did to breaking a record that has stood for 40 years is worth celebrating. Mullins’ nine consecutive at-bats with a base hit is the longest such streak since the turn of the century among Orioles hitters.