NEW YORK — That’s why the Orioles stuck with Cedric Mullins.

The center fielder has spent much of the past two months slumping at the plate — sometimes painfully so — but manager Brandon Hyde repeatedly put his faith in the veteran with the hope that he’d snap out of it and provide his usual all-around value.

He did just that Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium to lead the Orioles to a thrilling 7-6 win over New York.

After Craig Kimbrel’s blown save in the ninth sent the game to extra innings, Mullins blooped a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th and then used his speed to make his way around the bases, stealing third and scoring on the errant throw trying to catch him. The two runs generated by Mullins were just enough for Dillon Tate in the bottom half, as the right-hander allowed the automatic runner to score but stranded the potential tying run for his first save of the season.

Kimbrel’s blown save wasn’t his typical one, as the veteran closer didn’t walk a batter and often mixed in his knuckle curveball. Instead, Anthony Volpe and Giancarlo Stanton simply got the best of Kimbrel, the latter with a game-tying 120 mph single, but the 35-year-old closer gave up just the one run to give Mullins the opportunity for his heroics.

Long before the excitement and angst of extra innings, youngster Cade Povich grinded through 4 2/3 innings, allowing only one hit and one run, to give the Orioles’ offense a chance to bounce back from Tuesday’s intense defeat.

The rookie southpaw didn’t get the win, but his performance gave the Orioles’ offense time to build a lead — one just big enough for Baltimore’s bullpen to stave off a fierce comeback attempt from the Yankees until it couldn’t.

Ramón Urías’ go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth was sandwiched between two RBI doubles by Ryan O’Hearn in the first and fifth. Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI double to score Gunnar Henderson, who was hit by a pitch in his shoulder to further foment the animosity bubbling underneath this pivotal series, provided a key insurance run in the seventh.After Orioles pitchers hit two batters Tuesday, the Yankees threw up and in twice to Baltimore batters, including once to Henderson. New York then plunked two Orioles batters Wednesday, but the one to Henderson backfired. The 22-year-old shortstop stole second and scored on Mountcastle’s double to right field to make it 5-1.

In the bottom half, Stanton clobbered a 440-foot home run off sinkerballer Yennier Cano to bring the Bronx Bombers within one, driving in two runners who reached base off left-hander Cionel Pérez.

Baltimore is 48-25 and 1 1/2 games behind the American League East-leading Yankees (52-15). The win keeps the Orioles’ streak of 21 straight AL East sets without a series loss alive, at least until Thursday. The streak is tied for the longest in MLB history since divisions were introduced in 1969.

The Orioles have gone 48-23 against the AL East during the streak, including 18-7 this year. The last time Baltimore lost an AL East series was versus New York in early April 2023.

Povich grinds through start

Hyde didn’t care that Povich’s third MLB start would come under the brightest of lights at Yankee Stadium.

“I like watching Povich pitch wherever — lights or no lights,” Hyde quipped before Wednesday night’s game.

Hyde just wanted to see his young starting pitcher command his six-pitch mix the way he did last week versus the Atlanta Braves. Povich didn’t, as the southpaw walked four batters in his first two innings in what appeared to be an ugly, short start.

But Povich showed Hyde — and the Yankees — something even more than what’s to be expected from a 24-year-old making his first career start in the Bronx.

The lone hit the Orioles’ top pitching prospect allowed came to the first batter he faced, Volpe.

He then issued two free passes and nearly walked in a run, but he worked out of the self-induced jam, giving up only one run on a sacrifice fly by Gleyber Torres.

He walked two more in the second but escaped that pickle, too, and then retired nine in a row before walking Juan Soto with two outs in the fifth.

Hyde pulled him for right-hander Jacob Webb, whose success versus the Yankees continued Wednesday with a scoreless inning.

Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias spoke highly of Povich before the game.

“The bumps and bruises and adjustments are very likely ahead of him, and we understand that, but he had that game against the Braves, now he’s in Yankee Stadium,” Elias said. “This is a pretty big stage for him. I think he’s a really good talent. He’s got six pitches. He’s got a real nice delivery.”

Palmer has COVID, causing him to miss MASN broadcast

Jim Palmer, the Orioles broadcaster and Hall of Fame pitcher, said that he was absent from the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network broadcast because he has COVID-19.

Palmer, 78, called the Orioles’ 4-2 loss to the Yankees on Tuesday night alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown. MASN broadcaster Brett Hollander replaced Palmer to call the game with Brown on Wednesday.

“Thanks for the kind thoughts,” Palmer posted on X, formerly Twitter. “I thought I had a head cold, but actually Covid. My birthday present to Brett Hollander on the eve of his 40th birthday. Color with Kevin Brown.”

It’s the second time Palmer has missed calling an Orioles game because of COVID-19 in the past two years.

Last season, Palmer tested positive for COVID-19 in August and missed several games.

“We wish the Hall of Famer a speedy recovery,” Brown said in the fourth inning Wednesday. “He’ll be back with us soon.”

Palmer won three American League Cy Young Awards and three World Series titles with Baltimore.

He holds the franchise record for wins with 268. He pitched for the 1983 team, the Orioles’ last to win a World Series.