Shane Baz has got to feel like he’s watching the same movie played on a loop. Even worse, he’s starring in it.

Baz puts up a tremendous fight but is no match for the antagonist. He seems in control but discovers that he can’t dictate his own fate. Friends express their sympathy, saying that he deserves better.

Four straight batters reached against Baz with two outs in the sixth, an inning that began in a scoreless tie. Fans stood to applaud as he walked to the dugout, looking straight ahead and staring at another defeat.

The Orioles couldn’t complete the sweep, putting only one runner on base until Colton Cowser’s leadoff homer in the ninth and losing to the Rays 3-1 before an announced crowd of 27,745 at Camden Yards. They’ll fly to St. Louis later today with a 63-68 record and the same seat in last place.

A third run was charged to Baz after Chandler Simpson’s ground ball off Grant Wolfram sneaked into center field to score Junior Caminero. Baz had a 4.02 ERA before the game and a 4.04 ERA after returning to the clubhouse. His 14 losses lead the majors.

“He’s been great all year,” Cowser said. “That’s something that doesn’t reflect how good he’s been. Feels like, whatever reason, we just need to put up more runs whenever he’s pitching. He’s always keeping us in it, and some weird things happen today. A couple balls sneak through there, and the line just wasn’t what it should have been for him.”

Cowser’s double was the only baserunner allowed by Nick Martinez in six innings. He retired 18 of 19. But Cowser led off the ninth with a homer off Bryan Baker, his 12th this season, and Leody Taveras reached on an error.

Baker recorded his 37th save, leaving Taveras at third base.

“I’m always confident in this team that maybe they’ll be able to make a rally and Leo sparking something there,” Cowser said. “And then obviously three really hard hit balls, so came up a little short, but this team never quits.”

Baz tried to keep up with Martinez, but scant run support is common with him. The Orioles scored 15 runs in his last 11 starts since June 18 heading into today.

Simpson singled in the second inning and Samuel Basallo threw him out trying to steal. Baz walked two batters in the third and got a double play grounder from Yandy Díaz. Jonny DeLuca lined a single into left field at 111.1 mph with one out in the fifth and Basallo threw him out attempting to steal while Cedric Mullins took a third strike.

Díaz and Jonathan Aranda singled with two outs in the sixth, the former on a ground ball that scooted under Jackson Holliday’s glove. Díaz scored on a knuckle-curve in the dirt that Basallo blocked but couldn’t locate as it rolled away.

“We’ve seen Jackie make that play,” Albernaz said. “It’s also not a routine play by any stretch. It’s one of those where we’ve seen Jackie go to a knee and make that play, we’ve seen him stand up. So it was one of those things where he had a great beat on it, it just got underneath his glove.”

Caminero singled on a grounder up the middle, and Tampa Bay led 2-0.

“Just really bad last inning,” Baz said. “Just a couple of ground balls, a few ground balls kind of getting through and just not really putting guys away like I should. I think I was trying to be a little too fine with locations and stuff like that. Just trying to be a little too perfect, but yeah, just a bad last inning. I’ve got to do a better job of, I guess, slowing it down and just making a better pitch.”

“Baz pitched well enough, definitely well enough for us to win,” said Albernaz, whose team had a season-low two hits. “Kept us in it. The last inning he pitched he was grinding through it. Him and Junior had a good battle, but ultimately they got the knock through. And then Sammy had a nice block on the first one. The second one was really tough, hit off the side of his face. But yeah, Baz threw the ball extremely well.”

The bats were sluggish last night until Basallo’s game-tying two-run homer in the eighth inning. A hero didn’t emerge to save them today.

Cowser doubled with one out in the third and was stranded. DeLuca ran down Holliday’s 377-foot fly ball in right-center field. Christian Encarnacion-Strand ended the fifth by striking out on the 10th pitch of the at-bat.

Pete Alonso’s hitting streak ended at a career-long 14 games. The Orioles’ walk streak was snapped at 121.

Next up is a road trip that also takes the Orioles to Sacramento and Denver.

“We can’t look nine games ahead,” Alberaz said. “We have to look at the game in front of us. I think that’s where teams go awry, is that they’ll look at the end of the finish line before they actually run the race. For us, it was a good series here. Tough one today. Took a series against a really good team, and off-day tomorrow. Then, we have a real tough opponent in St. Louis.

“And for us, our guys recover. It’s that time of year, like we’ve talked about, all the guys are banged up, just like everyone else across the league. Good day of recovery, and then come out ready to compete on Tuesday. For us, we just have to focus on Tuesday.”

Cowser’s level of confidence that the team will bounce back?

“It’s through the roof,” he said. “I feel like we just had a really long road trip, and we were able to finish it pretty strong there. So, yeah, a lot of faith in this group, a lot of faith in this team, and have an off day tomorrow. So rest up, and then be ready to roll.”

Alexander update

Blaze Alexander is joining Triple-A Norfolk Tuesday in Durham to begin his injury rehab assignment.

Alexander, who fractured his left hand July 12 on a hit-by-pitch, is hoping to return to the Orioles in Sacramento. He fielded ground balls at third base this morning.

Nunez escapes jam and apparently injury

Anthony Nunez entered in the eighth inning in his first appearance since the Orioles recalled him on Friday. He retired the first two batters and loaded the bases on a walk, infield hit and four-pitch walk.

Nunez did a small hop on his landing leg after the last pitch to Simpson that filled the bases. Frustration? The Orioles thought it might be something more because assistant athletic trainer Ben Fraser came to the mound.

The right-hander stayed in the game and retired DeLuca on a fly ball. His velocity was fine. His fastball topped at 98.3 mph.

Nunez said later that he was fine.

Bautista in Bowie

Félix Bautista began his injury rehab assignment today with a start for Double-A Chesapeake.

Bautista, in his first game since July 20, 2025, retired only one of his five Richmond batters. He allowed one hit, walked three and was charged with three runs.

Tyson Neighbors let two inherited runners score.

Bautista threw 22 pitches, 10 for strikes.

Recovering the old velocity is going to be a process after undergoing surgery last August to repair the labrum and rotator cuff. He was throwing 97 mph in his last bullpen session at Camden Yards.

Bautista will report to Norfolk for Tuesday night’s game in Durham.

Upcoming probables

The Cardinals aren’t listing their starters for the three-game series in St. Louis that begins Tuesday night.

The Orioles are starting Chris Bassitt, Kyle Bradish and Trevor Rogers before they head to Sacramento.

Farm system etc., etc.

Norfolk was no-hit in Game 1 of its doubleheader against Nashville. Michael Forret allowed two runs in five innings.

Aron Estrada hit his 22nd homer for Chesapeake and Wehiwa Aloy hit his 20th overall and fifth since moving up to Double-A. Sebastian Gongora tossed six scoreless innings with only one hit allowed.