The Orioles lost a series in Cleveland and remained an unpredictable bunch.

They were 3-6 after being swept in Pittsburgh and won six of their next seven. They’ve lost five of six and are 10-12 going into their series in Kansas City.

They were no-hit for eight innings in Thursday’s opener, a harsh welcome back for former bench coach and assistant manager Craig Albernaz. Leody Tavares led off the ninth with a single to ruin Parker Messick’s historic bid, and the Orioles scored twice after loading the bases with no outs.

Pete Alonso doubled off the taller portion of the wall down the right field line. A few feet to the left and he clears it for a game-tying three-run shot after Gunnar Henderson’s sacrifice fly. Second baseman Juan Brito made a diving stop and throw to rob Samuel Basallo for the final out. That’s how close the Orioles came to completing their rally.

Neither team scored for six innings the next night. The Guardians loaded the bases against Grant Wolfram with no outs in the seventh, with Jeremiah Jackson making a rare mistake in the field, and Daniel Schneemann hit a grand slam off Anthony Nunez with two outs. The same Nunez who had a 1.04 ERA in his first eight appearances.

Game over, right? Not with these Orioles, who responded with a six-run eighth. Taveras challenged a strike call and drew a walk to set up Weston Wilson for a pinch-hit, two-run double and Jackson for a three-run homer in a 6-4 win.

How can you ever get a feel for this team? It’s all over the baseball map.

The Orioles led 1-0 Saturday going into the fifth inning, Brayan Rocchio hit a three-run homer off Dean Kremer, Gunnar Henderson homered in the eighth to reduce Cleveland’s lead to 3-2 and raise hopes for another comeback, and Bo Naylor homered off Albert Suárez in the bottom half for a big insurance run.

Given a chance at a split yesterday, the Orioles fell behind 5-0 by the fourth and scored four runs in the top of the fifth. Maybe this would be the latest comeback.

Or Cleveland would score another run in the bottom half of the inning and two more in the eighth.

The Orioles were shut out for eight of the nine frames. Their ace, Trevor Rogers, didn’t allow more than three runs last season until his last start, the 18th of the season. He’s done it this year in back-to-back outings – four runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks and five earned runs (six total) and six hits in five innings yesterday.

Rogers’ ERA has increased to 4.08. José Ramírez homered twice off him. He surrendered only three home runs over his first 17 starts last season.

“I’m not concerned,” manager Craig Albernaz told the media afterward. “The stuff looked good. He might say otherwise, but for us, it looked good.”

“I feel like I’m making good pitches,” Rogers told the media “Guys are just putting good swings on them, whether it’s just getting enough of the barrel to find outfield grass somewhere. It’s not getting good luck now. José just hit two bad pitches. Good hitters are going to hit bad pitches really far, and you’ve got to tip your cap and move on.

“I’ve just got to keep bearing down. I’ve been through this plenty of times before. There’s no need to get emotional. I’ve just got to find a way to minimize those big innings and just keep executing pitches.”

Taylor Ward hit his first home run yesterday. Jackson drew his first walk in his 69th plate appearance. It didn’t matter when they were stuck on zero and it didn’t matter when they finally bumped their totals to one.

The best thing that the Orioles could do was fly out of Cleveland.

The Guardians are 38-21 against the Orioles since 2017, the best record for any American League team. They also won three of four at home last season. The Orioles haven’t won a season series against them since 2016.

The Orioles are 39-80 all-time at Progressive Field since the ballpark opened in 1994 as Jacobs Field. Only the name changes.

The defense needs to tighten up. We see outstanding plays and miscues, at times in the same game.

Rogers took a toss from Pete Alonso and missed the bag yesterday, the Orioles’ 12th error of the season, which led to his unearned run.

“One hundred percent, very disappointing,” Albernaz told the media. “That’s something we still have to clean up and get better at. We’re still going to practice it all the time, because we have to, obviously.”

Past Orioles teams placed the same importance on fundamentals and leaned on its defense to compensate for other deficiencies. Ramón Urías won a Gold Glove at third base and Jorge Mateo won a Fielding Bible Award at shortstop. The Orioles had finalists at other positions, including Ryan Mountcastle twice at first base, Adley Rutschman behind the plate, Austin Hays in left field, Cedric Mullins in center and Anthony Santander in right.

Rutschman could return to the Orioles this week. He’s eligible on Tuesday and is on the road trip. He’s catching, hitting and running while recovering from a left ankle injury.

Outfielder Tyler O’Neill is able to return from the seven-day concussion injured list and just has to check a few more boxes, which is why he wasn’t activated over the weekend.  

The bullpen has been missing Keegan Akin and Andrew Kittredge the entire way. Akin has made two appearances on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk, and relievers don’t need the same ramp up as starters. Kittredge resumed his assignment after going on paternity leave and was battered yesterday for four earned runs (five total) and six hits in two-thirds of an inning, but more important is how his right shoulder is feeling.

Unrelated, Cade Povich started for Norfolk and struck out 10 batters in five innings, with one run and three hits allowed. Jhonkensy Noel hit a 442-foot, three-run homer.

Also unrelated, Jackson Holliday had a single, double and RBI yesterday with High-A Frederick. He’s expected to return to Norfolk.

The Orioles are catching the Royals at the right time. Their losing streak reached seven games yesterday and they’re at the bottom of the American League Central with a 7-15 record. But tonight’s starter, Seth Lugo, has allowed four earned runs in 24 1/3 innings.