ST. PETERSBURG -- The first few months of 2021 were a dream for John Means. The season’s middle months were a grind. Now, the final stretch will be a process as the Orioles’ ace looks to get back to form.

This after Means was hit hard again Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, bearing the brunt of the Orioles’ 13th straight loss, a 10-0 defeat to the Rays. Coming off what was statistically his toughest start of the season, Means allowed a career-high seven runs on eight hits in his third loss since July 20, when he came off the injured list. Three of Means’ runs were unearned, coming after Jorge Mateo’s error in the fourth. It marked the first time Means allowed at least six runs in consecutive starts; his ERA in six starts off the IL (6.10) is nearly triple what it was before he got hurt (2.05).

“I’m sure when the game started his thoughts were to stop this, and to pick us up,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “He’s a super-competitor and a good starting pitcher. He showed it for a few innings … just didn't stop the bleeding.”

On Tuesday, Means struck out seven without a walk but succumbed to homers from Mike Zunino (two-run) and Nelson Cruz (three-run) and threw 92 pitches across four-plus innings. He also fell victim to Randy Arozarena’s season-long tear against Orioles pitching, with Arozarena now hitting .500 (21-for-42) vs. Baltimore this year after collecting four hits. Means has now allowed nine homers in six starts since coming off the IL and 22 across 102 innings in 18 starts overall.

“I liked my stuff tonight and just did not get the results that I wanted,” Means said. “I felt like my stuff today was really good. Striking out six of the first nine hitters, I really thought today we were going to turn it around. I feel good. I don’t know … it’s definitely not for lack of effort, that’s for sure.”

The loss made the Orioles the first team in American League history to endure multiple losing streaks of at least 13 games in the same season. Tuesday’s loss was their 13th in 14 games against Tampa Bay this season -- they’ve allowed 33 homers and 113 runs across those contests. Meanwhile, Means fell to 0-2, 6.20 ERA (14 ER / 20 1/3 IP) in four 2021 starts against the Rays. His ERA is 2.87 against everyone else.

“It’s awful,” Means said. “It hasn’t been easy. A lot of guys are losing sleep, a lot of guys are frustrated with what they’re doing, especially me. I need to be better. I need to do better and the only way to do that is to keep adjusting, keep getting the work in in between starts and move on.”

Farm report
Down in the Minors, several interesting developments occurred on Tuesday. At Low-A Delmarva, the Shorebirds comprised a lineup entirely of 2021 Draft picks and 2020 fourth-rounder Coby Mayo, including ‘21 first-round pick Colton Cowser in his affiliated ball debut. The result was a 10-1 rout of Fredericksburg where every Shorebirds starter either collected at least one hit or drove in at least one run, highlighted by Connor Pavalony’s two-hit, four-RBI night. Delmarva struck out only once in nine innings, indicative of the contact-heavy approach the Orioles used in this year's Draft. Cowser finished 1-for-3 with a walk, run scored and RBI in his debut.

At Double-A Bowie the focus was on the pitcher’s mound, where No. 2 prospect Grayson Rodriguez struck out six in five innings of one-run ball for the righty’s latest dominant start at the level. This is becoming routine for Rodriguez, who has struck out 23 and walked two, holding opponents to one run over 14 2/3 innings in his past four starts. Rodriguez now owns a 2.33 ERA in 13 starts at Bowie, where he’s struck out 88 and walked 15 in 58 innings this summer.