The Baltimore Orioles are riding high off their first playoff berth since 2016 and they're already putting the other American League contenders on notice.

The Orioles started a three-game set with the Houston Astros on Monday in a potential postseason preview. The Astros took a 7-5 lead into the ninth inning before Cedric Mullins ripped a three-run home run to give the Orioles the lead, which they held on to for their third win in a row.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde is proud of his team and knows wins like these are worth celebrating.

“I’m extremely impressed by the grit of our team, how tough they are, how we continue to battle,” Hyde said, via Nathan Han. “They’re celebrating right now — not as much as last night, but they’re celebrating. And they should, because that’s a heck of a win.”

The win and subsequent loss by the Tampa Bay Rays gives the Orioles a 2.5-game lead in the AL East with 12 games to play. Baltimore hasn’t won the division since 2014, but after bursting into the playoffs that's the next goal in mind for the franchise's breakout 2023 season.

The postseason is a different beast, but a win over the defending World Series champions, especially in the fashion it came, can lift a team up to another level. The Orioles can sense something special brewing this season and hope this is only the beginning of their celebration.

Having clutch players like Cedric Mullins in your lineup makes a manager's job a lot easier. Brandon Hyde is ready to lead his bunch into battle this October and who's to say the Orioles can’t win it all?