NEW YORK -- About a week ago, Luke Voit said, the Yankees felt like they couldn’t do anything right. As he watched a wild pitch sail toward the backstop on Saturday afternoon, advancing the potential winning run to third base, it seemed like the type of situation that probably would have generated another popup or strikeout.

But those frustrating days seem to be gone, and not a moment too soon. Voit squinted through the encroaching shadows and lifted a fly ball, driving home DJ LeMahieu as the Yankees extended their winning streak to four games, celebrating a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the Orioles at Yankee Stadium. The win swelled the gap between the Yankees (No. 8) and Orioles (9) to 4 1/2 games in the push for the eighth and final spot in the American League postseason standings.

• Box score

“We’re finally getting where we were, playing New York Yankees baseball,” Voit said. “Our pitching has been great. Our hitting has been up and down, but we’ve got to win these close games. It definitely gets you ready for the postseason.”

As LeMahieu trotted home, having watched center fielder Cedric Mullins snare the ball too deep to make a throw, Voit received back slaps and helmet taps from his teammates near first base. It was the Yanks’ third walk-off victory of the season, and their fourth in five extra-inning games played under the new 2020 rules.

“We’re starting to play better,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We didn’t necessarily play the cleanest game today, but the pitching was so good. The guys are starting to feel it a little bit. It was a tough slog there for a couple of weeks, but the guys are starting to gain a little bit of confidence.”

The Yanks have outscored opponents 25-4 during their winning streak, and both of their runs on Saturday scored on sacrifice flies. Clint Frazier drove in LeMahieu with a first-inning fly ball facing rookie right-hander Dean Kremer, who limited New York to four hits over a 99-pitch effort, striking out seven against three walks.

“You’ve got to be positive and remember to have fun,” Voit said. “We play a little kids’ game. Everybody can make this game a lot harder than it really is.”

Jordan rules

As Boone noted, New York’s pitching was fantastic, beginning with a career-high nine strikeouts by left-hander Jordan Montgomery, who limited the O’s to an unearned run over 5 2/3 sharp frames.

Montgomery scattered three hits with a walk. Boone noted that Montgomery pitched up in the zone effectively with his fastball, which helped increase the effectiveness of his curveball.

“I'm still getting better,” Montgomery said. “It's encouraging to be putting together some good games. I'm figuring out where I need to be each game. I’ve got to continue to just pound the zone; that helps me get deep in the games. Just continue to trust my stuff.”

Montgomery kept Baltimore off the board into the sixth. Hanser Alberto singled and took second when Brett Gardner bobbled the ball in left field. After a lineout to right field advanced Alberto to third base, Ryan Mountcastle blooped a hit to shallow center field over the drawn-in infield. Boone called to the bullpen one batter later, ending Montgomery’s afternoon at 72 pitches.

“I wanted to stay out there,” Montgomery said. “I knew my pitch count was low and I hadn't been hit hard throughout the day. But we had such a fresh bullpen that we went to them.”

Over their last eight games, Yankees starters have posted a 1.97 ERA (45 2/3 innings, 10 earned runs) with 55 strikeouts. They have held opponents to two earned runs or fewer in each of those games.

What a relief

Chad Green bounced back from his role in a nightmarish 10-run inning earlier this week against the Blue Jays in Buffalo, N.Y., recording four outs around a LeMahieu throwing error in the seventh.

“When you’re getting good outings from your starting pitching, you don’t want to ruin that,” Green said.

Zack Britton worked past an eighth-inning double, and Aroldis Chapman kept the game tied in the ninth despite some uncomfortable grimaces that drew Boone and catcher Gary Sánchez to the mound. Chapman dashed to the clubhouse after ending the inning with a strikeout.

“He’s fine,” Boone said, stifling a laugh. “Mother Nature calls sometimes.”

With an automatic runner placed at second base in the 10th, Jonathan Holder set himself up for the victory by retiring all three men he faced.

“You’ve got to take advantage of what opportunities you get,” Voit said. “We did it today. It's a big momentum shift for us to go into [Sunday] with a chance to sweep.”