The start of tonight’s game at Camden Yards was delayed 56 minutes by the threat of rain. The tarp never made it onto the field.

The Orioles also didn’t cover.

Shane Baz started fast and ran into trouble, and the Orioles wasted some early scoring opportunities in a 5-2 loss to the Cubs before an announced crowd of 16,200.

The final homestand before the break began with the Orioles lowering their record to 42-50. Their 50th loss last season came on July 8.

The Red Sox are leading the White Sox 6-1 in the ninth, and a win would drop the Orioles into last place.

Baz allowed three runs and six hits with three walks and three strikeouts over six innings. He threw 100 pitches, 63 for strikes. Anthony Nunez replaced him in the seventh and the Cubs padded their lead with Michael Busch’s sacrifice fly. Nunez also allowed a run in the eighth on Dansby Swanson’s two-out single that scored Nico Hoerner.

The insertion of extra left-handed hitters in the lineup against Cubs southpaw Matthew Boyd didn’t spark the offense. The Orioles were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded five through the fifth inning. Adley Rutschman’s two-out, bases-loaded single off former Orioles reliever Jacob Webb in the seventh plated two runs and cut the lead to 4-2, but they couldn’t complete the comeback and fell to 10-17 against left-handed starters.

Coby Mayo drew a leadoff walk in the second inning and moved to second base with one out. Blaze Alexander concluded a nine-pitch at-bat by lining to left field at 109 mph.

Pete Alonso led off the fourth with a single and Mayo was hit on the foot by a curveball. Boyd struck out the next three batters. Taylor Ward walked with one out in the fifth and Rutschman grounded into a double play.

The Orioles put a runner on base in each of the first five innings and came up empty. Boyd shut them out on three hits with seven strikeouts through the sixth.

Left-hander Ryan Rolison entered in the seventh and the Orioles rallied with Samuel Basallo’s infield hit and Alexander’s opposite-field single. Ward walked with two outs to load the bases for Rutschman, whose grounder reached right field. A throwing error put two runners in scoring position, but Gunnar Henderson struck out.

Baz brought the heat in the first inning, striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong with a 97.9 mph fastball and reaching 98.3 mph to retire Busch on a line drive to left field. The Cubs brought the exit velo in the second but were retired in order. Seiya Suzuki lined to center at 106.4 mph and Ian Happ flied to center at 100.5. Swanson lined to left field at 101.5 in the third inning.

Baz retired the first eight batters before walking Miguel Amaya. Crow-Armstrong singled on a ground ball up the middle, and Alex Bregman lined a knuckle-curve into center to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Michael Busch walked to load the bases, but Suzuki popped to short.

The Cubs scored twice in the fifth as a light rain began to fall. Swanson singled, Miguel Amaya doubled and Crow-Armstrong delivered an RBI single. Another run scored on a fielder’s choice grounder. A double play limited the damage after Baz walked Busch.

Left-hander Nick Raquet, recalled earlier today, retired the side in order in the ninth.

Alexander’s versatility on display again

Alexander started in right field tonight.

He didn’t stay there.

Alexander moved to second base in the eighth inning after Leody Taveras pinch-hit for Jackson Holliday. He switched to third base in the ninth after Colton Cowser pinch-hit for Mayo.

Taveras struck out and Cowser grounded out on the first pitch.

Down on the farm

A source confirmed that the Orioles have hired former major league pitcher Ross Detwiler as an upper-level minor league roving pitching coach. Detwiler replaces Thomas Eshelman, who left the organization last month to accept a job as TCU pitching coach.

Detwiler, 40, was the sixth-overall pick by the Nationals in the 2007 draft. He spent 14 seasons in the majors with 10 teams, his final season coming in 2022. He finished with a 4.56 ERA in 307 games, 100 as a starter.

The Baltimore Banner first reported the hire.

Catcher Ethan Anderson was placed on Double-A Chesapeake’s seven-day injured list with left ankle discomfort. Infielder Brandon Butterworth and right-hander Tyson Neighbors were reinstated from the Baysox’s injured list.

Left-hander Joseph Dzierwa allowed one run and three hits in five innings, walking none and striking out three. His ERA is 2.38.

Pitcher Patrick Reilly’s minor league rehab assignment was transferred from the Florida Complex League to High-A Frederick. He’s returning from Tommy John surgery.

Single-A Delmarva shortstop Cobb Hightower left the field on a cart after tripping over first base and injuring his left knee. Hightower, the organization’s No. 29 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is batting .327 with a .729 OPS.

Outfielder Braylon Whitaker was removed from the game with right hip discomfort.