The Orioles cannot afford to lose too many more winnable games like this. Frankly, it might be too late anyway.

Baltimore on Wednesday squandered an early lead, struggled with runners in scoring position and failed to mount any semblance of a comeback attempt in a 6-4 loss to the Cardinals.

For the past week, the Orioles have largely played better baseball than they did during the weeks leading up to manager Brandon Hyde’s firing. The games have mostly been more competitive, and the team has shown more fight in the late innings.

However, on Wednesday, it was new manager, same old problems.

Orioles starter Cade Povich dominated through three innings on another rainy night at Camden Yards, but the Cardinals clobbered the young left-hander for the remainder of his outing. Baltimore’s bats gave Povich a three-run lead in the second thanks to an impressive offensive rally and then a two-run advantage in the fourth, but the 25-year-old gave up five runs in the fourth and fifth innings combined.

However, the Orioles’ bats stalled from there. After going 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position in Tuesday’s loss, the Orioles went 3-for-17 in such situations Wednesday and left 10 men on base. Hitting in clutch situations, a calling card of the 2023 club that won 101 games, has been one of the team’s biggest weaknesses this year. Baltimore has spent much of the season as the majors’ worst team with runners in scoring position, and it showed the past two nights.

The defeat slams any momentum Baltimore built after winning three straight with Monday’s series-opening victory. The Orioles have lost two straight games and failed to win any of their past five series. Baltimore is now 7-18 in May and 19-36 on the season.

Ryan O’Hearn kickstarted the Ryan O’Hearn kickstarted the rally in the second with a leadoff single — the latest knock for a player putting up an All-Star-caliber campaign with a .338 batting average and .977 OPS. After a single by Ramón Urías, Cedric Mullins laid down a bunt and beat out an errant throw that allowed O’Hearn to score. Catcher Maverick Handley then smacked an RBI groundout, and Jackson Holliday remained hot with an RBI double — his second of three hits to boost his average to .275.

Jordan Walker hit a two-run single off Povich in the fourth to reduce St. Louis’ deficit, but former Cardinal Dylan Carlson, who got his revenge with a three-run homer Monday, lined an RBI single to put the Orioles back up two runs. The Cardinals, one of MLB’s hottest teams with an 18-5 record in their past 23 games, then solved Povich in the fifth, as Masyn Winn’s double and Brendan Donovan’s homer gave St. Louis a 5-4 lead. Iván Herrera’s RBI double off reliever Andrew Kittredge in the seventh gave the Cardinals’ bullpen extra breathing room that it didn’t need.

Holliday led off the ninth with a single off a 100.6 mph fastball from All-Star closer Ryan Helsley, but Adley Rutschman (0-for-5 with three strikeouts) and Gunnar Henderson — the franchise’s cornerstones who combined to go 0-for-10 with four strikeouts — both followed with flyouts. After Ryan Mountcastle hit a single to put the tying run on base, O’Hearn grounded out as another winnable game slipped away.

Instant analysis

The starting rotation is no longer the Orioles’ biggest problem. That’s why Povich’s performance Wednesday presents a challenging decision for the Orioles.

Baltimore has Trevor Rogers, the much-maligned left-hander who just so happened to deliver the best start by a member of the Orioles’ rotation this season, waiting in Triple-A. It’s possible the organization still wants him to continue his work in Triple-A before fully rejoining the rotation. But after the way Rogers looked in his season debut Saturday — 6 1/3 scoreless innings, five strikeouts and only two hits allowed in Boston — it’s hard to envision him remaining in Triple-A for much longer.

“We will all sit down, we already are, trying to figure out a way or a path for him to come back and help us,” Mansolino said pregame.

That makes this the pressing questions: Who leaves the rotation to make room for Rogers?

Looking at Povich’s season one way, it would be unfair for it to be him. He’s allowed three or fewer earned runs in seven of his 10 starts, and he’s flashed upside with eight or more strikeouts in three starts, including Wednesday. But he now owns a 5.29 ERA and 1.53 WHIP through 10 starts this season. Of those starts, judging them by Baseball-Reference’s game score, three have been above average, five have been slightly below average and two have been bad.

The Orioles have several options for next week. They could move Charlie Morton back to the bullpen despite his quality start Monday. They could keep Rogers in Triple-A. Or they could move Povich, who is much better the first time through the batting order, to the bullpen.

On deck

Finally, a day off.

The Orioles’ bullpen was running on fumes the past two games after playing three games in two days in Boston over the weekend. Baltimore’s relief corps will mercifully receive a day off Thursday before the club hosts the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards.

The three-game series will feature the American League’s two worst teams. The White Sox were expected to be in the cellar. The Orioles weren’t.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Calvin Meyer at jameyer@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/JCalvinMeyer.