ST. PETERSBURG -- About an hour into play Tuesday, Dylan Bundy’s night, almost on cue, took a turn. Three times this season, Bundy dominated through three innings. But four times now, the script has flipped considerably soon after. The fourth inning, in particular, remains a puzzle for Bundy.

Such was the case during Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Rays that was in many ways the righty’s strongest start of the young season. Bundy breezed through three hitless frames and struck out five, completing five innings for the second consecutive start in 2019. That alone may be enough to tamp down whispers about the status of his rotation spot, with Alex Cobb set to return from the injured list later in the week.

“I thought he threw the ball really, really well,” O's manager Brandon Hyde said. “He really made two bad pitches that were two balls that were hit hard.”

In Bundy’s assessment, it was just one -- the first-pitch slider Avisail Garcia tagged for a two-run homer in the fourth. Either way, it’s the little details that continue to vex Bundy, given their tendency to result in big innings. So often, that inning has been the fourth. In his season debut, it was the fourth. Last start, the fourth.

Tuesday's fourth frame might have been the most frustrating yet. Bundy was sported a two-run lead opposite Tyler Glasnow, thanks to a run-scoring knock in the first inning from Rio Ruiz and an RBI double from Renato Nunez in the third.

Bundy walked Tommy Pham to lead off the fourth, then allowed a double to Ji-Man Choi before winning two battles. He beat Yandy Diaz with an inside fastball -- though Diaz managed a sacrifice fly to right -- and struck out Brandon Lowe. That brought up Garcia, who erased all that work with a go-ahead homer to center that, after the Orioles went hitless over the final five frames, ended up being the deciding blow.

“Bundy was tough,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “But Avisail was ready for that first-pitch slider and really put a charge into it.”

For positives, the Orioles can look to how Bundy allowed just one extra-base hit besides that round-tripper. He’d allowed six homers over his past two starts. They can look at how they tagged seven hits in the first four frames off Glasnow, who entered play sporting a 16-inning scoreless streak and an American League-best 0.53 ERA.

They can also point to the increased use of Bundy’s offspeed pitches, which had been a focus for the right-hander this spring. He entered play throwing more than 60 percent fastballs, per Statcast, before featuring a near 50-50 mix Tuesday night.

“I tried to slow them down a little bit and then use the heater a little bit later in the game,” Bundy said. “They’re a quick-striking offense. I was able to slow them down the first three innings, and then that fourth inning kind of snowballed a little bit.”

For Bundy, it is becoming a familiar trend. Between the first three innings and the three that follow, Bundy’s career ERA jumps more than a run. This difference in 2019 is particularly sharp, in large part because of how good Bundy has been early in games. He owns a 21.60 ERA in the fourth this season and a 20.25 mark from the fourth inning on. Bundy's ERA from innings 1-3? A sparkling 2.25.

“He’s grinding, you know? He’s grinding,” Hyde said. “I like the way he’s throwing the ball. He gave us a chance to win tonight.”