ST. PETERSBURG -- Sixteen weeks ago, the Rays beat the Tigers on Opening Day. They were in first or tied for first in the American League East each day from March 30 to July 19 as of the conclusion of those days’ games, a span of 112 straight days. They were outright in first each day from April 1 to July 18 as of the conclusion of those days’ games, a span of 109 days before the Orioles pulled into a first-place tie on Wednesday.

Now, after a 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Orioles in their 100th game of the season on Thursday night at Tropicana Field, their fifth straight defeat, the Rays find themselves in second place for the first time all year.

“We've played really, really good. That's what it means,” manager Kevin Cash said. “And it is July.”

But after a 29-7 start to the season, Tampa Bay has played sub-.500 baseball, with a 31-33 record since May 9. The club’s fall from first hastened this month, even after holding a season-high 6 1/2-game lead entering July. The Rays (60-40) have gone an AL-worst 3-12 this month, and the Orioles (59-37) have quickly made up ground by winning 11 of 16 games.

Try as they might, the Rays could not deny the significance of an opportunity to defend their position against the surging Orioles in a four-game series at Tropicana Field. But they did not make much of their new standing afterward.

“A lot of season left. We were in first for so long, so I think when you do come out of it, it's more of a thing,” said starter Tyler Glasnow, who struck out nine without a walk over seven strong innings. “We're just kind of in one of those, like, season ruts right now. It's just such a long season, and we have such a good team that I'm confident that it'll turn around.”

The quickest way to right the ship would be fixing their scuffling lineup, which is averaging 3.3 runs per game this month after scoring 5.6 per game over their first 85 games. Another way would be to heed the example set by the Orioles on Thursday night, when Baltimore outplayed Tampa Bay by doing a lot of little things right.

Glasnow retired the first nine hitters he faced and had a one-run lead until the Orioles capitalized on the Rays’ mistakes in a three-run fourth inning.

It started when Gunnar Henderson hit a hard grounder that bounced off third baseman Taylor Walls’ glove and into left field. But Randy Arozarena tossed a soft lob back to the infield, and Henderson aggressively hustled to third to complete the leadoff triple.

Arozarena said afterward he didn’t think Walls was looking at him, potentially under the impression he’d throw to second instead, so he didn’t want to heave the ball back in. Arozarena took the blame for the misplay, which proved costly when Adley Rutschman immediately dropped a game-tying single over the Rays’ drawn-in infield.

“I think it was more my fault, throwing it without him looking, so that's why I threw it soft,” Arozarena said through interpreter Manny Navarro. “Unfortunately, he scored.”

The Orioles pulled ahead after an Anthony Santander single, a wild pitch that advanced two runners into scoring position and a Ryan O’Hearn sacrifice fly. With two outs, Arozarena made a strong throw to catcher Francisco Mejía after fielding Aaron Hicks’ single to left. Mejía, who exited with a sprained left knee he sustained on the play, tagged Santander before he touched the plate. But the ball slipped out of his glove, allowing Santander to make it a 3-1 game.

“Ugly,” Cash said of the inning. “Not ideal.”

The Rays were held scoreless after Mejía’s RBI single in the second to the seventh when Yandy Díaz drove a two-strike sinker from All-Star setup man Yennier Cano into the gap in right-center for a game-tying double. But that was all the Rays could muster, finishing the night 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position after going 1-for-15 in those spots while being swept by Texas.

“A little bit more of the same of what we've seen,” Cash said.

In the 10th, the Orioles played for one run and got it with some well-executed small ball. Facing reliever Robert Stephenson, Adam Frazier dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance the automatic runner, and rookie Colton Cowser lofted a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Aaron Hicks from third.

The Orioles then brought back dominant closer Félix Bautista for a second inning, which he began by plunking Luke Raley to put the winning run on base. But Arozarena struck out for the fourth time, capping an 0-for-5 night, then Brandon Lowe hit into a game-ending double play.

“They deserved to win. They beat us, and they beat us in many facets of the game,” Cash said. “Like to think that we can come out and play better.”