Angels deal themselves a setback with 8-3 loss to Orioles

There is no clock in baseball. But there is a calendar.

And right now it’s working against the Angels, who moved a day closer to the end of the season but no nearer the division lead after dropping an 8-3 decision to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.

The Angels entered the weekend trailing the Texas Rangers in the American League West by 31/2 games with 13 to play. No American League team has ever overcome such a large deficit with so few games remaining — a fact that only added to the desperation in the clubhouse.

“We’ve got some ground to make up, and time’s running out,” pitcher Dan Haren said. “Every game is important. We can’t lose too many more.”

Haren (15-9) did little to help that cause, failing to get an out beyond the fifth inning for just the fourth time while matching a season-high by giving up seven runs.

But there was plenty of blame to go around. On offense, the Angels were hitless with runners in scoring position and didn’t push a run across until Hank Conger homered with one out in the ninth.

In their last five games — three of them losses — the Angels are three for 35 with runners in scoring position.

“We don’t have too many more games we can play like this,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We need to play consistent baseball down the stretch.

“There’s some guys in that room that are still searching for some things on the offensive side.”

That’s not good considering the Angels have already played 150 games. But it may be true since Vernon Wells, who struck out twice with runners on base, is hitting .217. And catcher Jeff Mathis’ .181 average is the second-lowest in the majors among players with more than 200 at-bats.

“We don’t have the great luxury of a lot of do-overs right now,” Scioscia said. “We have to play at a high level. And we’re capable of doing that.”

They didn’t do it Friday, when Baltimore scratched out a 2-0 lead in the third, despite hitting just one ball out of the infield. The Orioles did a little better in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring three times in each inning thanks in part to majestic home runs from Mark Reynolds, off Haren, and Nolan Reimold, off reliever Tyler Chatwood.

On the other side, Baltimore starter Tommy Hunter, who came over in a trade with Texas six weeks ago, helped his former teammates’ pennant chances — and improved his own chances at a generous playoff share — by pitching seven scoreless innings for the first time since July 2010.

Hunter (4-4) didn’t come out for the eighth, but the Angels had already waved the white flag by then when Scioscia pulled eight starters a half-inning earlier.

“It was almost like a spring-training game,” the manager said.

And if the Angels don’t turn things around soon, spring training could be the next time they find themselves even with the Rangers.

“It hurts,” a disconsolate Haren said as he nursed a beer in front of his locker. “Everyone knows every game is so important. I feel terrible. It’s frustrating to go out there and give up so many runs.

“We’re going to have to get on a roll to get where we want to be. Everybody in here knows that.”

kevin.baxter@latimes.com