Hyde giving Givens plenty of innings (O's down 8-5)

The fourth save of reliever Mychal Givens' season last night required him to get the last four outs. It's happened twice this month, with Givens striking out three batters in 1 1/3 innings in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader in Chicago.

The extreme already had passed, with Givens facing nine batters and covering the last two innings of a 4-3 win over the White Sox on April 24 at Camden Yards.

Manager Brandon Hyde isn't shy about pushing Givens, who's exceeded one inning in seven of his 12 outings.

Givens closed the 2018 season by throwing 19 pitches in two innings in a shutout win over the Astros. He appeared in 69 games and was held to one inning or fewer in 50.

Of Givens' nine saves last summer, four required him to work more than an inning. What he's doing with Hyde as manager isn't pushing him that far out of his comfort zone, though extended usage in 2018 brought mixed results.

"Givens, for me, is going to pitch in the biggest part of the game against the toughest part of their lineup," Hyde said. "Last night if it was one through four and (Mookie) Betts was coming up, then Mike would have been in the game then. It just happened to be with two outs with a runner on in the eighth inning."

The former shortstop struck out Betts to strand Eduardo Núñez at second base, and he retired the side in order in the ninth, beginning with Xander Bogaerts and continuing with J.D. Martinez.

"I think I've said it many times, I'm not managing for the save statistic, I'm trying to win the game and I want Mike to pitch in the biggest spot," Hyde said. "It's worked out where those last four saves have been in big spots against the meat of the order of the other team, and he's done a great job."

Hyde isn't going to withhold Givens for save situations. Games can be won or lost prior to the ninth. And Hyde doesn't want Givens sitting for extended periods and losing his command.

"There's been games where he hasn't pitched in a few days where he was going to pitch regardless, just to get him on the mound," Hyde said. "I don't believe in guys being not used down there for a long time, especially a guy like him. He needs to be on the mound.

"There's been times where it's actually worked out where he's come in and pitched. I think he closed one night when he was pitching regardless. I told him before the game, 'You're going to pitch in this game no matter what the score.'"

Hyde is willing to call upon Givens anywhere from the seventh inning to the ninth and beyond if the game moves past regulation.

"I just want to put our best matchups out there," he said, "and for me, with our club right now he's our best matchup in the bullpen against the best hitters on the opposing team. And when it's the biggest spot in the game, I'm going live with Mike in the game.

"Hopefully, we have a comfortable lead and he throws the ninth, but there might be cases where he might throw a little bit earlier, too. He knows that and he's good with it. We talked a lot about it. I'm just trying to win the game."

Hyde said Givens is available tonight, though he won't provide the Red Sox with inside information on how the right-hander might be used.

"I'm obviously going to be careful in that type of situation," he said. "I don't want to overextend a guy in a back-to-back situation."

Branden Kline warmed in the bottom of the eighth inning last night in case the Orioles expanded a three-run lead. Their rally fizzled and Givens, who's allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings in his last five appearances, returned for the ninth.

Joey Rickard was a defensive replacement in right field last night, and he's making his third start in left tonight. Hyde is going to keep playing Stevie Wilkerson in center.

Wilkerson is comfortable at the position and he's 8-for-18 with a double, home run and four RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.

"I just want to see him out there again," Hyde said. "He's done a nice job. I think he can cover some ground. There were a couple balls in right-center last night that he had good jumps on that almost got to Trey (Mancini). Yeah, I like the way Stevie's moving around and I might continue to give him opportunities out there.

"Joey's going to play out there, too. But I like to see him out there again."

Catcher Jesús Sucre was reinstated from the inactive list at Triple-A Norfolk after relocating his family to Miami. His absence wasn't based on a contract issue, despite rumors to the contrary.

Update: J.D. Martinez hit a two-run homer off David Hess in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.

Update II: Rio Ruiz hit a two-run homer off Hector Velázquez in the bottom of the first for a 2-2 tie.

Update III: Xander Bogaerts led off the fourth with a home run to give Boston a 3-2 lead.

Update IV: Hanser Alberto homered off Marcus Walden in the fourth to tie the game 3-3.

Update V: Mitch Moreland hit a three-run homer off Kline in the fifth to give the Red Sox a 6-3 lead.

Update VI: Eleven straight Orioles were retired before Trey Mancini singled with one out in the eighth and he scored on Dwight Smith Jr.'s double to cut the lead to 6-4. Smith scored on Chris Davis' two-out single into left-center field.

Update VII: Evan Phillips faced four batters in ninth, retired none and was charged with two runs. He walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded.