This doesn’t come as a surprise, given the fact four relievers were sent to pitch for other teams ahead of last month’s trade deadline. New pitchers are in new roles for the Orioles, and while it worked for much of Wednesday’s game, it fell apart in the ninth for a 3-2 loss to the Red Sox.

Baltimore relied upon a cash-considerations trade addition in left-hander Dietrich Enns and handed the game over to winter waiver claim Roansy Contreras. And in the eighth it was left-hander Keegan Akin who tightroped the Orioles out of a jam.

But despite Akin pitching for a third time in four days, the Orioles attempted to push him for a six-out save. The Red Sox struck immediately. Jarren Duran singled to begin the ninth, and Ceddanne Rafaela bashed a go-ahead, two-run home run to deflate an otherwise impressive effort from a cast of unlikely characters.

Before that ball lifted off Rafaela’s bat and cleared the left-field wall, the pitching staff had minimized Boston’s lineup.

Akin entered in the eighth inning with no outs, inheriting runners on the corners from Contreras. Akin, who has taken over the Orioles’ top relief role since the trade deadline, struck out Roman Anthony and Alex Bregman and forced Trevor Story into an inning-ending groundout.

But his fortune didn’t last for a second inning. And the Orioles lost their third straight game — and sixth in their last seven — when left-hander Aroldis Chapman clinched the save.

Interim manager Tony Mansolino said the Orioles stuck with Akin because the first two batters of the ninth, Duran and Rafaela, have better numbers this season against right-handers.

“We just didn’t want to send Rico [Garcia] out basically against four straight hitters that are really tough on right-handed pitching,” Mansolino said. “And then, on top of that, just the idea that Akin had a five-out save a few days ago. We felt like he was kind of primed for it.”

When asked if the recent heavy usage for Akin was a concern in that spot, Mansolino said it wasn’t.

“He felt great. He wanted the ball,” Mansolino said. “Just trying to get him through two hitters most likely there was kind of the idea with the two guys being so much better. We felt very comfortable with it. Just didn’t work out.”

Baltimore had been in a position to win before then, in large part, because of outfielder Dylan Beavers. What has stuck out to Mansolino most about the 24-year-old who arrived less than two weeks ago is the steady heartbeat, which stays as stable as if the California boy were walking to the beach rather than the batter’s box in a major league game.

That has allowed Beavers to arrive in Baltimore and, as Mansolino said, seem as though he has no idea where he is. The big leagues? This stage hasn’t changed anything for Beavers, who just keeps getting on base.

Beavers became one of two Orioles players to reach base safely 19 or more times in his first 10 games, along with Curtis Goodwin in 1995, according to MLB.com. That fits into Beavers’ mentality.

“Either drive in runs or get on base and you’re going to be the one scoring the runs,” Beavers said. “So I think, however I can, especially because I can kind of run, just get on base and try to help the team put runs on the board.”

It was his on-base ability that helped generate run production against right-hander Brayan Bello. Beavers dropped in a bloop double in the second to score the first run. He walked in the seventh and scored on Dylan Carlson’s double.

“It’s still a small sample, but I can’t say I expected to start this well,” said Beavers, who’s hitting .344 in 10 games. “I thought there would definitely be a little buffer period where I’d try to get my feet under me. But I felt good to start the year in Triple-A and I just try to carry that same approach up to here, and it’s worked well for me.”

Contreras’ Orioles debut Wednesday came after he was passed around by major league teams throughout the offseason. Even the Orioles designated him for assignment in January, only to claim him later that month once the Yankees — the team that originally signed him as an international free agent — waived the pitcher.

He performed well in spring training but still hit waivers once more at the end of camp. That time, the Orioles sneaked him through and he remained in the organization all season, posting a 3.73 ERA in 91 2/3 innings for Triple-A Norfolk. Contreras already had worked with catcher Samuel Basallo at that level, which “made it much easier to go out there today and get the job done,” Contreras said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones.

To be stuck in limbo for much of the year may have been a surprising outcome. Contreras was a major part of the trade that sent right-hander Jameson Taillon from the Pirates to the Yankees and, ahead of the 2022 season, Baseball America listed Contreras among its top 100 prospects.

He didn’t stick in Pittsburgh. He didn’t stick with the Angels, who traded for him last season. He may not stick in Baltimore, either.

But what Contreras provided in 4 1/3 innings Wednesday as the bulk pitcher may go a long way toward keeping him around. The Orioles likely won’t need Contreras to start games as the season goes on, but they’ve been without a bulk reliever, and the 25-year-old could move into that role.

“We’re in the final stretch here and I think bodies start to wear down, but I’m feeling really good and hoping to finish strong,” Contreras said.

Contreras followed Enns, who, besides a leadoff home run to Roman Anthony, provided a clean 2 2/3 innings as the opener. Then Contreras mixed six pitches effectively and allowed just three hits.

His sinker was especially effective. Despite only one swing and miss, Boston averaged a 79.1 mph exit velocity against that pitch.

Piecing this together with Enns, Contreras and Akin seemed possible. But, by pushing Akin for the ninth rather than turning the game over to another unlikely closer in a bullpen that has experienced massive turnover didn’t work.

So the Orioles stumbled to a loss again.

News and notes

• The season is finished for right-hander Brandon Young, whom the Orioles moved to the 60-day injured list Wednesday with a hamstring strain. Young said he fixated more on the poor moments of his 12-start rookie season, although there were highlights, as well, such as 7 2/3 perfect innings this month. Young said the hamstring strain shouldn’t impact his offseason training schedule.
• Right-hander Tyler Wells allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings in his final rehab start for Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles expect Wells to return on or about Sept. 1, and when he does, they will use a six-man rotation. Mansolino said none of Baltimore’s starters will pitch on regular rest from now until the end of the campaign. They’ll all have an extra day to monitor inning counts.
• Baltimore swapped infielders Wednesday, designating Vimael Machín for assignment and selecting the contract of Emmanuel Rivera. Mansolino said Rivera’s third base defense was a point in his favor.

This article has been updated.