Cedric Mullins and the Baltimore Orioles headed into MLB games today with the Seattle Mariners, leading the AL East by just 2.5 games. Meanwhile, the Mariners are mired in their own playoff chase and are six games out of the AL West but just a game out of the third and final Wild Card spot.
But that was before Mullins, the Orioles’ All-Star center fielder, took matters into his own hands, arguably becoming the sole reason Baltimore powered to a 5-3 victory. First, Mullins had perhaps the catch of the year by robbing Mariners slugger Ty France of a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 3-2 ballgame.
But Mullins wasn’t done playing hero in Seattle. Dominic Canzone’s game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth sent the game to extra innings at Safeco Field. Yet, that would only set Mullins up for more theatrics in the top of the tenth.
Here Mullins blasts a 364-foot two-run home run to right field, giving the Orioles a 5-3 lead.
The Mariners had one final chance in the bottom of the tenth inning but weren’t able to find any more last-second success and are now 1.5 games back of the third AL Wild Card spot.
Related: 2023 MLB power rankings: See where Cedric Mullins’ Orioles rank