The 2023 Orioles have created loads of magical moments up to now this season, together with inconceivable comebacks, record-breaking performances, and electrical walk-offs. With a month left of the common season, it’s time to look again on a few of Birdland’s most memorable moments up to now, whereas trying ahead to all that’s nonetheless to return.
Could 12: Cedric Makes a Splash
There was magic within the air when Cedric Mullins stepped as much as the plate within the eighth inning on Friday, Could 12. All he wanted was a house run to develop into the seventh Oriole in membership historical past to finish the cycle. On the third pitch of the at-bat he despatched the ball onto the Flag Courtroom, finishing the cycle and etching his title within the historical past books.
Mullins wasn’t the one Oriole making historical past that Friday. It was additionally the debut of Orioles Chief Hydration Officer, Mr. Splash. Positioned in Part 86, Mr. Splash used a backyard hose to spray down followers for all three of Mullins’ extra-base hits that evening, giving followers within the Fowl Tub an evening they may always remember, and starting probably the greatest fan experiences in Main League Baseball.
April 11: King of the Fortress
Ryan Mountcastle reigned victorious on April 11 towards the Oakland Athletics when he turned the third participant in Orioles historical past to report 9 RBI in a sport. Mountcastle already had 5 RBI earlier than stepping as much as the plate within the seventh inning. With the sport tied, 7-7, the A’s selected to stroll Adley Rutschman to load the bases for Mountcastle, a mistake they’d quickly remorse. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Mountcastle launched the ball into the left discipline stands for his second profession grand slam, giving the Orioles the lead and recording his ninth RBI of the evening. Mountcastle’s historic evening put him in nice firm, becoming a member of Orioles Corridor of Famer Jim Gentile (5/9/61 at MIN) and Orioles Legend and Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Famer Eddie Murray (8/26/85 at CAL) as the one gamers in membership historical past to report 9 RBI.
July 28: Tony Taters Strikes Once more
The clock struck midnight as Anthony Santander stepped as much as the plate within the backside of the ninth. With the sport tied, 0-0, and greater than 34,000 followers on their toes, all Santander wanted was one swing to ship the ball into proper discipline and provides the Orioles a 1-0 win over the New York Yankees. His second-career walk-off dwelling run, Santander was met with a Gatorade bathtub at dwelling plate because the Orioles celebrated their fifth walk-off win and fifth shutout victory of the yr.
July 30: Sunday Evening Lights
Sunday Evening Baseball returned to Baltimore on July 30, and the Orioles placed on a present. The O’s scored six runs earlier than recording an out as a part of a seven-run first inning, giving them an early lead as they went on to beat the Yankees, 9-3. However the Orioles weren’t simply sizzling on the plate; their pitchers mixed to strike out 18 Yankees batters, probably the most in a nine-inning sport in O’s historical past.
July 20: Beasts within the AL East
After Colton Cowser hit a sacrifice fly to attain Aaron Hicks and provides the Orioles a 4-3 lead, Félix Bautista returned for a second inning within the tenth. With one out within the backside of the additional body, Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe stepped as much as the plate and hit right into a game-ending double play, giving the Orioles sole possession of first place within the AL East. If there was anybody who nonetheless doubted the comeback children, they wouldn’t any longer, because the Orioles loved the view from the highest.
Could 20: The Orioles Make a Assertion in Toronto
The Orioles knew they have been good. They knew regardless of the rating, they have been by no means out of it. They proved that on Could 20 in Toronto. Down 5-2 within the eighth inning, Ryan O’Hearn clubbed a game-tying, three-run dwelling run off Toronto nearer Jordan Romano. Austin Hays plated the game-winning run within the tenth and Félix Bautista labored 2.0 scoreless innings, hanging out a career-high 5 batters. The Orioles at all times knew they might do it, however this was the second everybody else began believing they might, too.
July 10-13: An All-Star Week to Bear in mind
For the primary time since 2016, the Orioles despatched a number of gamers to the All-Star Sport. Félix Bautista, Yennier Cano, Austin Hays, and Adley Rutschman all represented Baltimore on the Midsummer Basic at T-Cell Park in Seattle.
Rutschman additionally represented the Orioles within the House Run Derby. Along with his dad on the mound, Baltimore’s All-Star backstop placed on a present. Rutschman clubbed 20 dwelling runs from the left facet within the first three minutes after which stunned everybody when he stepped to the proper facet of the plate, changing into the primary participant to ever swap hit on the derby. Seven of his eight swings from the proper facet resulted in homers, bringing his complete to 27 on the unforgettable evening.
April 14: Yennier Cano Introduces Himself
After being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on April 14 and making his season debut later that evening, Yennier Cano shortly established himself as certainly one of MLB’s prime relievers. Appropriately nicknamed “The Rock,” Cano was practically unhittable within the early weeks of the season, setting an O’s report with 32 consecutive hitless at-bats to start his marketing campaign. He didn’t give up his first extra-base hit till Could 13 vs. Pittsburgh, his fifteenth look of the season. Suffice to say, Cano has not seemed again since. His 28 holds this season are tied for the MLB lead and are probably the most by an O’s hurler in workforce historical past (since 1954), per STATS.
August 13: Cedric the Entertainer
You actually can not escape Cedric Mullins, and he proved that once more on August 13 in Seattle. Simply days after being reinstated from the 10-day Injured Checklist, Mullins turned the primary participant within the final 10 seasons to each rob and hit a house run within the ninth inning or later, per ESPN Stats and Data. First, he made a leaping catch on the wall within the ninth inning to rob Ty France of a game-tying dwelling run. Then, within the tenth, he hit a game-winning, two-run dwelling run to clinch the season sequence victory. Evidently, everybody watching was entertained.
August 20: Gunnar Henderson Doesn’t Hit for the Cycle
It was the eighth inning and all Gunnar Henderson wanted was a single. If he bought it, he would develop into the eighth participant in Orioles historical past to hit for the cycle. As an alternative, the frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Yr got here as much as the plate and rocketed a double to proper discipline, settling for 4 extra-base hits within the sport. Regardless of ending a single shy of the cycle, Henderson’s efficiency was historic by itself. In keeping with Sarah Lang of MLB.com, he posted the forty fourth particular person sport in MLB historical past with a number of doubles, a triple, and a house run, and the primary such sport since David Wright on June 23, 2013, at Philadelphia, proving as soon as once more why he ought to be the AL Rookie of the Yr.
