WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Orioles dug themselves such a deep hole in the first two months that every game feels more important than a typical regular-season contest.

The Orioles have no margin for error. That means losing two straight games to the Athletics — the American League’s second-worst team that entered the weekend having dropped 20 of its past 22 games — is almost untenable.

When Orioles starter Charlie Morton allowed four runs in the first inning Saturday night, it could have washed away all the positive momentum this team carried with it after winning its sixth straight game Thursday. A month ago, this game would’ve devolved into just another embarrassing loss in one of the most ignominious seasons in Baltimore baseball history.

But this might not be the same team anymore, and its comeback win, 7-4 over the A’s, is the latest example.

Morton’s bullpen picked him up to pitch 6 2/3 scoreless innings. The offense scored in five of nine innings. Colton Cowser hit a 455-foot moonshot for the farthest homer of his career.

And two plays at the plate went the Orioles’ way — the first on a perfect relay that ended with a tag from catcher Maverick Handley, the second on an incredibly athletic slide from Gunnar Henderson.

Baltimore is 26-37 and winners of 10 of its past 13 games. The Orioles were 13 games under .500 when they fired manager Brandon Hyde and 18 games under just two weeks ago.

Now, there’s a glimmer of hope that the Orioles can make the arduous climb back into playoff contention.

They’re 7 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot with 99 games remaining. They’ll have to win at least 60% of those games to have a chance of playing in October.

Ryan O’Hearn opened the game at Sutter Health Park — a minor league park serving as the temporary home of the Athletics (25-41) after their owner moved the team out of Oakland — with a sacrifice fly to put Baltimore up 1-0. Morton quickly gave that away.