BALTIMORE -- Entering a stretch where 19 of their next 22 games will come against clubs with a winning record, the Orioles had an opportunity this week to build some confidence against a Tigers club they recently split a competitive four-game series with in Detroit. That did not happen.

Instead the Orioles boarded their flight to Boston on Thursday night victims of a three-game sweep by the Tigers and their eighth straight loss overall, a 6-4 defeat during which John Means endured his worst start in two years.

Pitching in extreme heat, Means tied a career high with three home runs and six earned runs allowed over 4 1/3 innings, as his ERA rose above 3.00 for the first time all season. It was the third rough outing in five starts since returning from the injured list for Means, who has now allowed 20 homers in 98 innings.

“Physically I feel good, but I feel like my mechanics, I’m going back and forth on certain things and trying to get back in that rhythm I was in before I went on [the IL],” Means said. “I’m trying a few things out. I’m not going to quit, so I’ll try my best to get back [to that level] or I’ll lose my mind.”

Spotted an early lead after Cedric Mullins raced home on the back end of a first-inning double steal, Means largely cruised before walking Jonathan Schoop to lead off the fourth. Jeimer Candelario followed with an RBI double, and old friend Renato Núñez delivered a two-run homer two batters later. The Tigers’ offense Thursday came without Miguel Cabrera, who sat out the scorching matinee sitting on 499 career home runs. Victor Reyes added a two-run shot later in the inning, then Robbie Grossman hit a solo shot in the fifth.

Particularly alarming was the success Detroit had jumping on Means’ fastball. Four of the five extra-base hits Means allowed came on his heater, which he’s repeatedly expressed frustration with since returning to the active roster on July 20. Means’ fastball averaged 91.4 mph on Thursday, 1.4 mph below his season average, per Statcast.

“The finish on his fastball to me wasn’t there as much as it has been these last couple starts,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “I didn’t think the finish on his pitches was the same.”

Aside from a pair of solo homers from DJ Stewart, the Orioles' offense found little traction against Tigers starter Matt Manning, who Means beat late last month in Detroit. Baltimore has allowed 74 runs on 95 hits during its current eight-game skid, the O's third of at least that long this season.

The Orioles are the only big league team to suffer more than two such streaks in 2021, and they now hit the road to face a gauntlet of contenders: three games against the Red Sox in Boston, a four-game set against the Rays in St. Petersburg, then the Braves for three at home.

The Orioles close out August with a couple of series against the Rays and the Blue Jays, then they face the Yankees in New York on Labor Day weekend.

“It’s tough, there is no way around it at this point,” said Trey Mancini, who is mired in a 6-for-36 funk this month. “We need to put more wins together. We had a good thing going out of the All-Star break and we’ve hit a wall here. We need to forget these past two weeks.”