Mullins delivers 'All-Star performance' in loss

ANAHEIM -- On the day Cedric Mullins was named to his first career All-Star Game, he didn’t waste time showing off why he earned a trip to this year’s Midsummer Classic.

Off the bench, Mullins went 2-for-2 with a game-tying RBI single in the sixth inning and a brief go-ahead homer in the ninth inning off closer Raisel Iglesias in the Orioles' 6-5 loss at Angel Stadium on Sunday.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Mullins demonstrated why he's an All-Star with his showing.

“It was an All-Star performance,” Hyde said. “He got a day off, comes in, pinch-hits in the sixth. [A] huge hit for us. And then he's facing an elite closer and homers for us in the ninth inning.”

Mullins came into the ballgame hitless over nine at-bats in the first two games of the series, but proved to be Baltimore’s most clutch hitter in the series finale.

Just moments after Mullins was announced as an All-Star reserve, he came off the bench and delivered a single to left field to bring home DJ Stewart to tie the game at 4. He later added to his day with his 15th homer of the season, which left his bat at 101.2 mph.

The multihit day was the 25th of the season for Mullins. His 101 hits are also tops in the AL over Blue Jays All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (100).

Mullins’ clutch performance off the bench looked like it was just what Baltimore needed to avoid a sweep after starter Thomas Eshelman gave up four runs in four innings. Instead, the Orioles suffered their second walk-off loss of the weekend.

“It's frustrating to not win these sorts of games,” Hyde said. “With our record the way it is, it's nice to win. It's disappointing giving a game like this away.”

Down four at the start of the sixth inning, Austin Hays kick-started Baltimore's rally with a leadoff single. Trey Mancini followed with a walk, prompting Angels manager Joe Maddon to pull starter Patrick Sandoval, who shut out the Orioles through five.

Ramón Urías drove in Baltimore’s first run on an RBI double to left field off reliever Aaron Slegers. The double was the highlight of a 2-for-3 day for Urías as he continues a hot streak in which he has gone 9-for-25 since being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on June 27.

Stewart followed with a one-out double that brought Mancini and Urías home, setting the stage for Mullins' game-tying single off Halos rookie Andrew Wantz.

After Eshelman’s exit, the Orioles' bullpen kept the Halos hitless for 3 2/3 innings, limiting them to one walk. The comeback effort, however, was thwarted in the ninth after Cole Sulser loaded the bases with no outs before giving up a walk-off two-run double to Juan Lagares.

“It was a game we should have won,” Hyde said. “[I’m] really proud of our guys, how we battled back as hitters. I thought we did some nice things on the mound from the fifth through the eighth. [We] got the lead and didn't hold on.”