The team with the best record in baseball found out tonight that the Orioles aren’t going away without a fight.

But how many knockdowns can they withstand?

Pete Alonso hit a game-tying three-run homer in the third inning and the Orioles scored twice in the ninth to push the game past regulation. Another proud moment for manager Craig Albernaz. More mixed emotions after a defeat.

Sal Frelick’s RBI single off Grant Wolfram in the 10th moved the Brewers ahead again and they held on for a 6-5 win before an announced crowd of 25,304 at Camden Yards.

William Contreras doubled off Rico Garcia in the ninth to score Brice Turang. Contreras came home with two outs on Christian Yelich’s single off Wolfram and the Brewers led 5-3.

Game over? Not yet.

The Orioles rallied against closer Trevor Megill in the bottom half, and sacrifice flies by Samuel Basallo and Christian Encarnacion-Strand knotted the score again.

Chad Patrick, the sixth reliever used by Milwaukee, stranded automatic runner Heston Kjerstad in the bottom of the 10th and the Orioles fell to 75-79.

The Guardians were down 3-0 in the first inning tonight and defeated the Athletics 5-3. The White Sox blew a big lead and lost to the Tigers, which kept the Orioles three games behind for the last Wild Card. They didn’t surrender ground but are running out of time.

“Our guys have shown the resiliency all year and coming back,” Albernaz said. “We have numerous comebacks and keep on clawing, fighting back. But also we know where we’re at right now. We’ve got to win as many games as we can is an understatement. But yeah, I’m always proud of our guys. Proud of our guys down 3-0, Pete with the big swing. Just great at-bats that inning. And obviously against their closer, against Megill down two, coming back and tying it.

“Yeah, always proud of our guys’ fight, but yeah, a loss still hurts.”

Turang singled with one out in the ninth and Contreras found the gap in left-center field at 111.7 mph to end the bullpen’s scoreless streak at 17 2/3 innings. Yelich padded the lead but it still wasn’t safe.

Gunnar Henderson collected his third hit with a leadoff single and Coby Mayo doubled for a career-high third time. Basallo flied to right field to bring the Orioles within a run and Encarnacion-Strand’s sacrifice fly created extras.

They didn’t go as needed.

“You’re going to lose games. You’re going to win games, obviously,” Mayo said.

“Losing right now is tough. Obviously, we did a great job rallying back and you’re going to have those games where you rally back and lose. You’re going to have the games where you rally back and win. I think if you look at the little things we did well with that ninth inning and scoring runs and two sac flies down two runs, that’s a win for us. But obviously, would have loved to win this game.”

Dustin May got ahead of Leody Taveras 0-2 and gave up a leadoff single in the third. He walked Dylan Beavers, fell behind 3-0 to Alonso and threw him a cutter with the count full that resulted in the first baseman’s 38th homer and third in the last three games.

A challenge erased a walk and kept Alonso in the box. Bad idea.

Mayo doubled off the left field wall with one out on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Basallo singled and May nailed Encarnacion-Strand with a two-strike sinker to load the bases and force a pitching change.

Left-hander Shane Drohan struck out Colton Cowser, and Jeremiah Jackson grounded into a force as the ninth batter of the inning.

Mayo has reached base in 21 consecutive games. He led off the fifth with a 106.6 mph double down the left field line against right-hander Antonio Senzatela, reached third base with one out and was tagged in a rundown on another contact play on Encarnacion-Strand’s bouncer to the mound.

Henderson began the seventh inning with a single against former Orioles left-hander DL Hall and Mayo walked. Basallo struck out after failing twice to lay down a bunt – his own idea, apparently – Encarnacion-Strand struck out and pinch-hitter Rece Hinds bounced out.

The Orioles were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12.

Asked about Basallo trying to bunt, which he rarely does, Albernaz said, “He came up to me when Coby was on second base, and he was like, ‘Hey, if it’s first and second, can I bunt?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’ It was a tough lefty matchup. I get where he was coming from, and Sammy had a great team at-bat earlier in the game, getting a runner over to third. And against that matchup, you know, he wanted to bunt, and I was all for it.

“If our players want to give up themselves for the team, with first and second, I’m always for it.”

Jackson didn’t attempt to bunt leading off the bottom of the 10th and struck out.

“Playing for the tie, that’s always the decision as the home team,” Albernaz said. “You kind of always have the advantage when you’re the road team in that situation. We felt more comfortable with J.J. swinging than getting the bunt down, and we all talked, and we liked the matchup and taking our shot to win the game.”

Beavers singled off Abner Uribe with two outs in the eighth and Alonso struck out with the count full. Uribe stomped his foot, pumped his fist, slapped his chest and shouted.

Maybe that got under the Orioles’ skin. Or they just enjoy playing dead and rising up.

“There’s less than 10 games left and we know what spot we’re in,” Mayo said. “But I don’t think guys are putting more pressure on themselves. I think our at-bats have been solid, and we were able to put three runs up thanks to Pete and guys on base. We had our opportunities, and sometimes, it just doesn’t go our way. The opportunities that we had in the ninth, we were able to come through with them. It’s just baseball. You get some opportunities that go your way, and you don’t on the other ones. Got to just keep going.”

Cade Povich, recalled earlier today, escaped a jam in a 23-pitch first inning by getting a ground ball from Yelich on a 3-1 count with two outs and two runners on base. He retired the first two batters in the second before Luis Lara reached on an infield hit, Cooper Pratt walked and Chourio turned a 3-0 changeup into a 3-0 lead.

The ball traveled 419 feet to center field, and pitching coach Drew French came to the mound after Turang’s single at 106.2 mph. Povich retired six in a row and was removed after Pratt’s two-out single in the fourth.

Povich was charged with three runs and five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings in his seventh start with the Orioles this season.

“He wasn’t himself falling behind hitters a lot,” Albernaz said.

The Orioles could hold onto Povich for another turn in the rotation or option him and bring up an extra reliever. Félix Bautista threw today at Camden Yards after making nine appearances on his injury rehab assignment.

Povich was put in a tough spot, plopped into another of the Orioles’ must-win games.

“Yeah, just kind of like every other game,” he said. “Just try to attack the zone, get ahead, work counts and be on a good page with Sammy.”

The ‘pen was mightier to a point

Orioles relievers came into the game with 13 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, and Anthony Nunez and Luis De León attached one and 1 1/3, respectively. Yennier Cano entered in the seventh and worked around Chourio’s walk and stolen base. Josh Walker, appearing in his fourth consecutive game, walked two batters in the eighth but extended his scoreless streak to 20 games.

Garcia issued his own walk to load the bases and escaped, and but the Brewers got him in the ninth.

Walker’s streak is the longest by an Oriole since Zack Britton had a 25-game stretch in 2016 to tie the franchise record.

De León hasn’t allowed a run in his last five appearances over seven innings.

Baz much better

Shane Baz came out of his last start after being nailed on the right elbow by a 105.1 mph line drive, but he’s feeling good and expecting to make his next start.

He’s got two left.

X-rays were negative and Baz expressed confidence that he’d be fine. He couldn’t avoid the ball, but he dodged a serious injury.

Orioles don’t escape The Miz

Jacob Misiorowski has been identified as the Brewers’ TBA for Sunday night’s series finale that airs on Peacock.

He’s known to make opponents miserable.

Misiorowski is 15-5 with a 1.89 ERA, 0.812 WHIP  and 243 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings and is the heavy favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award.

The Orioles counter with Brandon Young.

Norfolk news

Aron Estrada hit his first Triple-A homer tonight, a two-run shot in the first inning. Creed Willems hit his 19th and also singled twice.

Trey Gibson allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts over five innings.

Enrique Bradfield Jr. returned to Norfolk’s lineup after being day-to-day with right adductor tightness, and he went 0-for-4.