MILWAUKEE — Orioles infielders crept forward, their toes hinging on the grass. Milwaukee had a runner at third, one out, and Baltimore was protecting against a bunt. Sal Frelick, instead, kept his bat above his shoulder and barreled a slider to the upper deck at American Family Field.

That two-run homer was Milwaukee’s second against Baltimore’s consensus top pitching prospect. After following opener Keegan Akin, Chayce McDermott went 4 2/3 innings, walking five, striking out two and surrendering three of Milwaukee’s runs in a 5-2 loss, the club’s eighth straight.

This all hours after general manager Mike Elias held court in the visitor’s dugout, spending 20 minutes or so fielding questions about firing manager Brandon Hyde, coming to grips with how much his ball club has struggled this season. He shook his head at a long list of injuries and took some onus for what Elias aptly described as a “huge problem” and the fault of himself and the front office for shoddy roster construction.

That admission came shortly after the team announced it would be releasing right-hander Kyle Gibson, a 2023 standout who was dismal in four starts this spring.

So when the Orioles (15-32), entering Saturday as losers of seven straight — their longest dry spell since 2021 — needed to stop the bleeding, they called up McDermott on Tuesday morning to take a big league mound for the third time in his career.

McDermott arrived in Baltimore in 2022 as part of a three-team deal that whisked Trey Mancini out of town. He’s been in Triple-A Norfolk since 2023 and, thanks to the injury bug in Baltimore, is getting a chance with the big league club.

Tuesday night, shouldering this organizational slump, he threw 75 pitches (37 for strikes). McDermott lacked command much of his outing. He was 11-for-23 on first-pitch strikes, and only 45% of his offerings landed in the zone. He induced just three whiffs on 22 swings.

It shouldn’t be this simple, but the line of demarcation for an Orioles win has largely hinged on whether they give up three runs or four-plus. They entered Tuesday 10-2 in games allowing three or fewer but 5-29 when teams score four or more.

McDermott had the visitors against the ropes after four innings. Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins delivered a knockout blow in the eighth with a solo home run to right field off closer Félix Bautista, the second the former All-Star has allowed this season and the third straight outing in which he’s given up a run.

Orioles bats showed signs of life in the game’s final third, as they have in each of their last three losses.

Ramón Urías hit an RBI single in the seventh. Then Jackson Holliday, who has been one of Baltimore’s top hitters with over a .900 OPS this month, tripled off the left field wall, plating Urías. But two runs was too little, too late, as the Orioles dropped to 2-27 in games scoring three runs or fewer this season.Instant analysis

Ramón Laureano took an uncomfortable spill in the fourth inning. He raced forward, took a misstep and tumbled toward the grass misplaying a fly ball. The right fielder perked up and stayed in the game after a short conversation with interim manager Tony Mansolino and a trainer. He was replaced by Dylan Carlson an inning later.

In this team’s quest for a more stable offense, they can’t afford to lose Laureano. He leads the team in WAR (1.2) and is tied for fourth in home runs (six). Laureano’s nine runs in May lead the team and he’s fourth in hits this month.

Elias voiced his frustration earlier in the day about the number of injuries to Orioles hitters. Add another to the list.

On deck

Baltimore dropped its eighth straight in what continues to the organization’s most tumultuous week in recent memory. The Orioles haven’t won a series against Milwaukee since 2003. That won’t change Wednesday, with Tomoyuki Sugano on the bump for Baltimore opposite fellow-righty Chad Patrick.

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