Cedric Mullins hits for the cycle in Friday night Orioles win

May 12, 2023 was scheduled to be a big night in Baltimore as the Orioles introduced the Bird Bath in section 86. Mr. Splash was ready to spray the sold out section upon any Orioles extra base hit. Sadly, the O's bats were quiet through the first 4.2 innings. Enter Cedric Mullins.

Mullins laced a 2-2 delivery from Pittsburgh Pirates starter Johan Oviedo into the right center field gap. Mullins then did his best Willie Mays impression, as his helmet flew off his head while he raced around the bases. When the play was over, Mullins had his third triple of the year and the Bird Bath was officially open. But Cedric was not done yet.

Having already singled in the third inning, Mullins was now 2-3 on the day. In the seventh inning, with the O's trailing 2-1, Mullins delivered a one out double off Pirates reliever Jose Hernandez, continuing his left on left dominance this season. Mullins then scored the tying run on an Adley Rutschman double.

The Birds offense stayed hot and Mullins got another at bat in the eighth, this time against Pirates righty Duane Underwood Jr. With Austin Hays on third and Terrin Vavra on first, Mullins hammered a 1-1 pitch 376 feet, over the scoreboard in right field to complete the cycle.

That home run extended the Orioles lead to 6-2 entering the ninth inning and turned out to be the difference in the game. Felix Bautista came in to close out the game after Austin Voth gave up a run in the ninth inning. Mullins finished the day going 4-5 with two runs scored and three RBI's.

Mullins became the second player this season to hit for the cycle (Luis Arraez had the first), and the seventh Oriole to cycle. Mullins joined a very diverse list that already included Brooks Robinson (1960), Cal Ripken Jr. (1984), Aubrey Huff (2007), Felix Pie (2009), Jonathan Villar (2019), and Austin Hays (2022). It is also the 12th cycle in franchise history as four St. Louis Browns players accomplished the feat five times (George Sisler did it twice) prior to the team moving to Baltimore and rebranding as the Orioles in 1954.

Mullins also continued to show off his gold glove caliber defense when he made a diving catch on what looked like a sure hit off the bat of Jack Suwinski in the top of the seventh. Mullins looks to be well on his way to making his second career all-star appearance and the way this team is performing, it should be the first time since 2016 that the Birds send more than one player to the mid summer classic.