MINNEAPOLIS — The Orioles had all the chances in the world to make this a blowout, to salvage at least one game from a dismal series against the Minnesota Twins. They had runners in scoring position in the second inning, third inning, fourth inning, fifth inning and sixth inning.

More often than not, they wasted those opportunities.

Even when things went right — Gunnar Henderson, who struck out in his first two plate appearances with runners in scoring position, singled with a runner at second in the sixth — it still went wrong. Twins center fielder Bryon Buxton threw out Emmanuel Rivera, although the replay review upholding that decision did Baltimore no favors on a tight play.

The situational hitting on display from the Orioles in the 5-2 loss to the Twins on Thursday, which sealed a sweep at Target Field and prolonged Baltimore’s five-game losing streak, was impressive in how inept it was.

At 13-23, the Orioles are 10 games below .500 for the first time since June 15, 2022.

“We’ve gotta start winning some games here soon,” first baseman Ryan Mountcastle said.

Seven of the Orioles’ 11 strikeouts came with runners in scoring position. They finished with two hits in 13 opportunities with runners at second or third. They stranded nine runners overall and managed three runs or fewer for the 22nd time this season — more than 60% of their games.

“Should never have gotten to that point,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Just offensively, we wasted, squandered so many opportunities that the game should have been out of hand early.”

Baltimore already entered Thursday’s game with the lowest batting average with runners in scoring position in the majors (.192) and, over the previous 15 games, that average had lowered to .127. Add in the 2-for-13 mark from Thursday, and the Orioles are hitting (16-for-123) since April 20 in those situations.

Is this a mental barrier? A freeze that overtakes the Orioles in key situations? What else could it be? The answers are few and far between from Hyde and those within the lineup. This is as puzzling to them as it is to anybody.

“It’s the big leagues, and you’ve got to be able to make some contact in certain situations,” Hyde said. “We squandered a lot of scoring opportunities. We’re just not moving the baseball with runners on base.”

Any ideas why?

“It’s inexperience, pressing,” Hyde answered.

It’s not a recipe for success, and because of it, Baltimore couldn’t take advantage of a strong start from right-hander Dean Kremer.

Kremer allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings, with Ty France’s RBI single in the first joined by Trevor Larnach’s solo home run in the sixth. By that point, however, Kremer should’ve had a large lead to work with. Not that he was caught up in any of that.

“I learned a few years ago that, no matter what the offense is doing, whether they’re putting up 10 spots or goose eggs, it really doesn’t matter,” Kremer said. “It shouldn’t affect how I’m pitching and how aggressive I am toward a lineup or certain batters or whatever. I’ve removed myself kind of from the dugout, or I’ll just sit in some little corner, whether it’s in the tunnel or just somewhere, so I’m not like, ‘Oh, please get a hit, please get a hit,’ like, ‘Oh, I just gave up a run, we need to come back.’ So trying to eliminate any sort of exterior.”

Still, if he had been watching closely, there were ample opportunities. And, for the sake of completion, they are laid out here:

Second inning: After Rivera’s double scores Ramón Laureano, there are runners on second and third with one out. Maverick Handley and Henderson strike out.

Third inning: Jackson Holliday scores on Mountcastle’s sacrifice fly. However, with runners on second and third and one out, Heston Kjerstad and Coby Mayo strike out.

Fourth inning: Rivera and Handley record leadoff singles (that was Handley’s first major league hit). Then Henderson strikes out and Holliday grounds into a double play.

Fifth inning: Ryan O’Hearn reaches when he’s hit by a pitch and Mountcastle doubles. Again, there are two on with no outs. Laureano pops out, Kjerstad strikes out and Mayo (who recorded his first hit of the season earlier) grounds out.

Sixth inning: Rivera doubles to lead off, one of his three hits. Handley strikes out, Henderson singles but Rivera is thrown out, and Holliday grounds out with Henderson at second.

Got all that? It was offensive inefficiency to the extreme.

“I think there’s maybe an approach change for some of us,” Kjerstad said. “I think there’s a lot of us trying too hard. I would speak for myself mostly. Sometimes with runners in scoring position I tend to try to do too much when you just need to dial it back and just put a ball in play.”

And, by the time Brooks Lee and France combined to plate three runs in the eighth inning, there was no coming back. There shouldn’t have been a need to, even, if the Orioles had come through during one or two more of their opportunities.

Across all of Baltimore’s losses this season — and there are plenty from which to choose — this could be its worst. Not because it was a blowout. Not because they failed to produce entirely. But because the Orioles had no business losing this game.

This article has been updated.