The season’s first month went by with the Orioles still waiting to see the Dean Kremer that dazzled in his first three major league starts last summer. When he finally arrived for Monday night’s series opener with the Seattle Mariners, it seemed they wouldn’t be able to capitalize on it.
Instead, Cedric Mullins continued his season-opening tear by hitting a go-ahead, two-run home run in the eighth inning, one that narrowly escaped right fielder Mitch Haniger’s grasp as the Orioles finally broke through against a series of Seattle relievers in a 5-3 victory. After he abandoned switch-hitting this offseason to strictly bat from the left side, Mullins’ home run off left-hander Anthony Misiewicz tied him for the team lead in that category, one of many in which he paces Baltimore.