Cedric Mullins hit a two-run double in the ninth inning to secure a 6-5 win for Baltimore over the New York Yankees on Sunday. The Orioles maintained their first-place position after capitalizing on two defensive mistakes by the Yankees late in the game.
Anthony Volpe’s error extended Baltimore’s two-out rally, and Mullins hit a line drive that initially looked routine. However, left fielder Alex Verdugo misjudged the ball, which ended up going over his head.
“I think he just misread it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented. “He charged in quickly, trying not to let the ball drop in front of him, and it ended up carrying farther than expected.”
Ben Rice’s three-run homer in the top of the ninth off Craig Kimbrel (6-2) gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead, but New York’s closer couldn’t preserve it.
Clay Holmes (1-4) allowed the Orioles to load the bases with two outs. Then, Ryan Mountcastle hit a ground ball that should have ended the game, but Volpe’s error allowed another run, making it 5-4 and keeping the bases loaded.
Mullins, who came in as a pinch-runner the inning before, delivered the crucial hit that snapped Baltimore’s five-game winning streak. This victory also gave the Orioles a one-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East going into the All-Star break.
“You can’t start an inning with two walks and make a mistake like that,” Kimbrel said. “The guys battled hard, and we were able to put together something special at the end. It was exciting to watch.”
Baltimore struggled with runners in scoring position, going just 1 for 8 and 2 for 22 in the series. However, Mullins’ clutch hit helped the Orioles avoid being swept in the three-game series at home. Anthony Santander and Gunnar Henderson also hit home runs for Baltimore, while Trent Grisham homered for New York and drove in two runs earlier in the game.
