NEW YORK -- The best way to follow a postseason clinching celebration? It’s hard to top a historic start the next day.

One night after punching their ticket to October, the Orioles opened with six consecutive singles on Wednesday en route to a 9-7 win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Baltimore’s hot start led to a three-run top of the first inning, and the O’s stayed in front the rest of the way.

It marked the first time since at least 1969 that the Orioles have started a game with six straight singles, and the second time they’ve begun with six consecutive hits. On Sept. 24, 2008, they opened an 11-6 loss to the Rays with five straight singles, followed by a double.

The post-clinch O’s certainly did not get off to a sluggish start a day after they partied.

• Sights & sounds from the Orioles' postseason clinch

“Opposite of sluggish,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Right away, just really good at-bats from the first inning. Nice to score a few runs there early.”

The Orioles (88-70) denied the Yankees (92-66) of clinching the American League East title for the second straight night. The only way Baltimore can take the division crown is by winning each of its final four games (one vs. the Yanks and three vs. the Twins) and having New York lose each of its final four (one vs. the O’s and three vs. the Pirates).

Even though the Orioles have secured their spot in the postseason, there’s still plenty to play for. Their next win will ensure they’ll finish no worse than the top AL Wild Card spot, meaning they’d get to host a best-of-three Wild Card Series at Camden Yards as the No. 4 seed. They could also clinch that if the Tigers lose to the Rays on Thursday.

The O’s improved to 8-4 vs. the Yankees this season with their 17-hit performance led by Gunnar Henderson (three hits and two RBIs), Colton Cowser (two hits and three RBIs) and Cedric Mullins (three hits and three runs scored).

Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Anthony Santander, Cowser, Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn all singled consecutively to start the first against right-hander Marcus Stroman, who was tagged for six runs on 10 hits (all singles) in 3 1/3 innings. The Orioles finished with 14 singles and three doubles.

“We had a lot of singles. We had a lot of clutch hits,” Hyde said. “Kept the line moving. I thought our at-bats all night were really good.”

Baltimore broke the game open with a four-run fourth that featured a two-run single by Henderson and RBI doubles from Santander and Cowser. The Orioles scored more than five runs for only the second time in their past 18 games, a stretch during which they’ve plated three or fewer 11 times.

“Obviously, putting up nine runs and the offense doing their thing is always great for everybody on the team,” said right-hander Zach Eflin, who allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings in his final regular-season start. “They’ve done it for a good while the past two years, and you’re going to go through little ruts and stuff through a 162-game season, it’s going to happen. But it looks like we’re on the other side of that right now, and we’re playing some really good baseball.”

It helps that Baltimore’s lineup is the healthiest it has been since July, as Westburg, Urías and Mountcastle were all reinstated from the injured list over the previous three days.

Westburg (4-for-12 in three games) and Urías (3-for-13 in three games) have blended right back into the fold. Meanwhile, Mountcastle is 2-for-7 since rejoining the roster Tuesday.

“Win or lose, it's always tough just watching from the side,” Mountcastle said. “So, just happy to be back and happy to be healthy and ready for the playoffs.”

Mountcastle, who missed a little more than a month with a left wrist sprain, is among the many players on the Orioles’ roster who experienced the disappointing conclusion to the 2023 season. After a 101-61 regular season that led to an AL East title, Baltimore was swept in three games by eventual World Series champion Texas in the AL Division Series.

With the O’s seemingly gaining momentum in the final week, the belief is strong that a better October is ahead for this club.

“I believe in our guys in this clubhouse and what we can do,” Mountcastle said. “We're a really good team, offensively and defensively, and hopefully, that leads to success.”