To succeed in the majors, Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino thinks Cade Povich needs to pitch with more of an edge.

Povich has heard this before — he’s even tried out an alter ego, “Slim,” to achieve that — but it matters more now than ever.

“I think what happens is, the longer we’re here, the more we think just stay here,” Mansolino said. “That’s not how this always works.”

What Mansolino was implying is that Povich may not have a spot next season if he doesn’t find a way, alter ego or not, to pitch with that edge.

Sunday was a good step in that direction when he allowed one run in six innings at Camden Yards before Keegan Akin blew the save opportunity as the Athletics won 3-2 to take the series.

It was Povich’s third time completing six innings this season and first since May 6.

“To me, it’s probably the best I’ve seen him throw the fastball arm side,” Mansolino said. “I feel like, a lot of times I’ve seen him pitch, it’s been more glove-side fastballs, and today the catcher’s kind of setting up on the outer third a little bit and let the ball run to the corner. I thought it was really good.”

With Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, and maybe even Grayson Rodriguez, who just had elbow debridement surgery and will not pitch this season, expected to rejoin the rotation next year, plus the possibility of the Orioles acquiring outside help, Povich has to prove he’s worth a spot in these last two months.

“Plenty of chances to be able to continue to grow, try maybe some different things, learn some different things about myself — about pitching, about pitching in the big leagues,“ he said. ”Trying to figure out what works and kind of help me get to that next level."

This past spring, he made the team out of camp, but only because Rodriguez was placed on the injured list. Povich was just fine in his first 13 starts, pitching to a 5.15 ERA while consistently struggling to get through the fifth inning.

Hip inflammation landed him on the injured list in June, the first time in his professional career he’s had to miss time. But while he was out, as he regained his strength in his bullpen sessions, fastball command was a major focus.

He returned Aug. 4, allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings against the Phillies. On Sunday, he took it a step further.

He doesn’t have overpowering stuff — his fastball averages 92.3 mph and on Sunday peaked at 93.6 mph — so commanding it to both arm side and glove side is key. He did that against the Athletics, while mixing in his changeup and slider.

“It’s kind of been something, you know, I think my better outings is when I’ve been able to command the fastball really well,” he said. “I think, these last two games, the command and being able to locate it to different parts has been a lot better and has led to a lot better results.”

The run against him came in the sixth inning. Brent Rooker opened the inning with a double, advanced to third on a groundout and came home on a base hit from Colby Thomas.

Povich got help from Jordan Westburg, who hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, and a pinch-hitting Coby Mayo, who hit a double in the seventh to send Alex Jackson home.

That should have held. But, with their post-trade deadline reliever options, that’s not usually the case. Keegan Akin, now the longest-tenured member of the Orioles’ bullpen, took the ninth with a chance to get his third save. But he walked Darell Hernaiz to open the inning, then Gio Urshela hit a single.

Willie MacIver hit a line drive to left field that allowed Hernaiz to score easily to tie the game. Left fielder Dylan Carlson got the ball off the first bounce, relayed it to shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who threw it home to Jackson. It could have been in time to tag Urshela out, but the catcher missed and the Athletics took the lead.

“Anytime you walk the leadoff guy who isn’t necessarily a huge power threat, it’s not really what you want, so I think he’d love to have that one back right there,” Mansolino said of Akin. “Urshela hits the ball past Westy. It’s a scenario, if Westy is standing two steps over towards the hole, maybe he’s in front of the ball. The backup catcher gets us again-type scenario. Just unfortunately how it played out.“

This article has been updated.