CLEVELAND — How the Orioles would line up against left-handed starting pitchers was one of the biggest unanswered questions coming out of the trade deadline.

Baltimore’s game against Guardians southpaw Joey Cantillo on Saturday night was the club’s first against a lefty since July 21 — and its first since losing right-handed bats Austin Hays and Jordan Westburg to trade and injury, respectively. The Orioles are considerably worse against left-handed starters this season, winning only two of their past 10 games versus them.

Manager Brandon Hyde ran out an unconventional lineup against the young Cantillo with two trade deadline acquisitions, both right-handed hitters, batting in the top six. Austin Slater was a surprise in the leadoff spot instead of Colton Cowser and Eloy Jiménez was batting sixth in the duo’s first start since joining the Orioles two days ago.

The makeshift lineup worked.

Slater and Jiménez delivered with a combined four hits and Hyde’s maneuvering in the late innings paid dividends, leading the Orioles to a 7-4 win over the MLB-best Guardians to evade a third straight loss. The win kept Baltimore (66-46) tied atop the American League East with the New York Yankees.

Slater doubled and reached on a bunt single, Jiménez went 2-for-3 with an RBI single and Hyde’s pinch hitters came through clutch in the seventh to provide needed insurance. Adley Rutschman, hitting for Jiménez, ripped a two-run triple — greatly aided by poor defense from Guardians right fielder Jhonkensy Noel — and Ryan O’Hearn, replacing newcomer Coby Mayo, lined a double down the right field line.When the Orioles traded Hays to the Philadelphia Phillies, it left a hole for their games against left-handed starters, versus which they were hitting .237 with an OPS nearly 60 points worse than righties. Baltimore entered 49-33 against right-handed starters and 16-13 versus southpaws.

The additions of Slater and Jiménez were ones that cost the Orioles little given their struggles this season. Slater was hitting just .185 with a .530 OPS, while the oft-injured Jiménez was hitting .240 with a .642 OPS. But they both delivered Saturday to give the Orioles a spark.

Also a trade deadline acquisition, starting pitcher Zach Eflin overcame a two-run homer from Angel Martínez to pitch 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball for his second quality start in as many outings to begin his Orioles career. Cionel Pérez, Seranthony Domínguez and Yennier Cano covered the game’s final 2 2/3 innings. Cano — not closer Craig Kimbrel — was tasked to slam the door in the ninth, retiring the side in order for his fifth save of the season.

Jiménez’s RBI single in the fourth put the Orioles on the board, while Cowser’s single tied the game and extended his hitting streak to 16 games, one short of Baltimore’s rookie record set by Trey Mancini in 2017.

Jackson Holliday’s opposite-field double off the left field wall to lead off the fifth chased Cantillo. The 20-year-old came around to score the go-ahead run on Gunnar Henderson’s single.

Henderson doubled and Anthony Santander singled to lead off the eighth to set up Rutschman’s pinch-hit triple. After O’Hearn’s double, Holliday smacked an RBI single to cap off the four-run frame for consecutive multihit games after the first of his career in Friday’s loss.