The Orioles went into the offseason in search of two things: a closer and another starter.

They accomplished both of those things. In December, they signed Craig Kimbrel to be their closer, a $12 million deal to make him their highest-paid player. Then, with weeks to go until spring training, they traded for Corbin Burnes to be their ace. Check and check.

Burnes has done everything and more that the Orioles could have hoped for, pitching to a 2.73 ERA until his start Friday. Kimbrel has not. And, while general manager Mike Elias still considers him to be the closer, the Orioles haven’t used him in a save situation since July 25.

On Friday, their prized offseason additions cost the Orioles the game as Burnes gave up a career-high eight runs and Kimbrel allowed three. Despite a good day for the offense — particularly Jackson Holliday, who had a career-high four hits — it wasn’t enough for the Orioles to dig themselves out of the hole Burnes and Kimbrel put them in. The Red Sox, throwing a bullpen game, won 12-10.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

A bad outing was bound to happen for Burnes — even the best of the best can’t be on all the time. Friday, from the start, was not his night. Burnes has gotten off to strong starts, allowing just five runs in the first inning all season.

The Red Sox changed that. They scored two runs before Burnes could record two outs, attacking his cutter, usually his best pitch.

“I think, from the get-go, in the first inning we made some good pitches and they scored two runs on three hits that weren’t hit very hard and we went and made an adjustment and it wasn’t the right adjustment,” Burnes said. “Fell behind a lot of counts, a lot of hittable pitches up in the zone, and they didn’t miss them.”

Boston added two runs in the third as Rafael Devers hit a two-run homer, but it was the fourth that really exposed Burnes’ struggles. He issued walks to Jarren Duran and Devers before Connor Wong drove in a run with a single. Masataka Yoshida put an exclamation point on it, hitting a three-run home run. Burnes’ day ended after the fourth, his shortest outing with the Orioles.

“I’d rather not have any [bad starts], but I guess if we’re going to have one it’s better to do it in a game in the middle of August versus coming down the stretch or into the postseason,” Burnes said. “But, yeah, I’m just proud of the way I’ve been consistent all year up to this point. So, you go back in, figure out what we were doing wrong, adjust and just get back to what we do.”

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

While Burnes’ rough night was a rare occurrence, this has become all too common for Kimbrel. He entered the game in the seventh, with the Orioles down by two, to face the bottom of the Red Sox lineup. By the time he exited, Boston was ahead by five.

Corbin Burnes left after the fourth inning Friday night in his shortest start of the season. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Kimbrel issued a walk to Nick Sogard, then David Hamilton hit a two-run home run. Duran added a solo shot later that inning to make it 11-6.

“Well, a couple homers,” Hyde said when asked about Kimbrel’s performance. “But the walk, that’s what’s kind of getting him in trouble there — the walk, the stolen base. They just got on his fastball.”

The Orioles, as they did all night, strung together hits to inch back in the game. They matched Boston’s three runs in the bottom of the seventh and added one in the eighth, but it didn’t do enough to close the gap.

Holliday’s four hits — including his first triple — make him the youngest Oriole since Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson in 1957 to accomplish that feat.

“That’s quite something,” Holliday said. “Obviously very special to be able to share that with him and hopefully many more in the future.”