O's get contributions from many in 4-3 win (updated)

The idea of Renato Núñez as the Orioles' cleanup hitter and regular DH probably didn't gain much traction early in the winter, with the new regime trying to formulate a camp roster and learn about its inherited players.

Rio Ruiz getting most of the starts at third base evolved as Núñez came down with a sore biceps in camp, other possibilities were eliminated and the defensive performance instilled more confidence.

Dwight Smith Jr. as the regular left fielder and an offensive catalyst was unimaginable until the Orioles traded for him in March, he beat out other competitors in camp and began to resemble a lot more than just outfield depth.

Joey Rickard playing center field every day wasn't on the table until Cedric Mullins was off the roster Monday. Hanser Alberto bouncing around the infield seemed improbable after the Orioles lost him on a waiver claim in spring training.

He first had to bounce back into camp.

The Orioles are getting contributions from players who weren't locks to head north, let alone receive steady at-bats. It happened again tonight and allowed the Orioles to claim the series with a 4-3 victory over the White Sox before an announced crowd of 10,550 at Camden Yards.

Left-hander John Means, in his third major league start, allowed one run in five innings and the Orioles improved to 10-16 overall and 3-10 at home. They won consecutive games for the first time since March 30-April 2 and took their first series at home since sweeping the Blue Jays on Aug. 27-29, 2018.

Means had the fastball/changeup combo working again, the latter pitch used to record a strikeout in each of the first five innings. He recorded a career-high six strikeouts, getting Adam Engel on a 94 mph heater in the fifth.

Manager Brandon Hyde removed Means after 92 pitches and with the Orioles ahead 4-1.

Evan Phillips loaded the bases with one out in the sixth and hit Ryan Cordell to force in a run, but he struck out José Rondón and Paul Fry retired pinch-hitter Nicky Delmonico to keep the Orioles ahead. Fry stranded two in the seventh and Mychal Givens earned his first save by handling the last six outs.

Five different relievers have notched saves. Givens was fresh, having thrown only one inning and 12 pitches since Thursday at Tropicana Field, but he surrendered an RBI double to José Abreu with one out in the ninth and unleashed a wild pitch to leave the tying run 90 feet away.

Givens struck out James McCann after Pedro Severino saved him from another wild pitch and Richie Martin, a late substitution, made a sliding stop and throw to retire Yoán Moncada.

Stevie Wilkerson clubbed his first major league home run in the fourth inning after the ruling of a hit by pitch was overturned upon a 30-second review. The only mark left from the at-bat was found on one of the bleacher seats from his 423-foot blast.

This is the same guy who was designated for assignment on March 23 to clear a spot for Severino, who caught Means tonight. The Orioles selected his contract Monday as Mullins' replacement and started him in left and right the last two nights.

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first on two-out doubles by Smith and Núñez to center field off Ervin Santana. Núñez tied Smith for the team lead in RBIs with 18.

Núñez also singled in the sixth and has 28 hits this season, none of them to right field. The left side and middle are suiting him just fine.

Rickard led off the second with a triple off the out-of-town scoreboard in right and scored on Alberto's fly ball to left or a 3-0 lead.

The White Sox scored with two outs in the third on Tim Anderson's single and Abreu's double, but Means struck out McCann to end the inning.

Means, celebrating his 26th birthday, faced former Orioles catcher Welington Castillo, celebrating his 32nd. One of baseball's oddities.

The Orioles will add it to their list.

Update: Manager Brandon Hyde was working with a shorter bench tonight because Chris Davis had to leave the team for a personal matter. He's going to meet up with the club in Minnesota.

Hyde on knowing he could use Givens for six outs: "With the day off tomorrow, we needed him to go two, we wanted him to go two. I was trying to stay away from it, but it's kind of the way the game played, a two-run lead in the eighth inning, I felt good about sending him out there."

Hyde on whether he'd consider putting winning run on base: "There would be a circumstance. I have a lot of respect for Welly, to be honest with you. I've been with Welly for a long time. I know the numbers aren't where he'd like them to be, but if you noticed, he's been hitting the ball hard almost every single at-bat against us. And I trust Mychal Givens there. That was his at-bat. Richie Martin made a heck of a play."

Hyde on Means: "Pretty good, right? Five really good innings. I loved the fact tonight that he flashed his breaking ball a little bit more and the breaking ball got a little better as the game went on. Just for an extra weapon so they can't sit on two pitches. Yeah, he was really good again. Once again aggressive, attacks hitters, really good changeup. They took some really good at-bats off him early and he stayed with it. So, it was an outstanding start on his birthday.

Hyde on winning series: "We haven't been playing our best baseball here at home. I thought we played better on the road so it's nice to play a couple really good games. That was just a good baseball game. Some good pitching on both sides, some nice defense, a couple timely hits, the homer. Just a good game. I like the way we played the last couple nights, I like the way we've played for the most part this season. Tonight we won a close one and we haven't won a ton of close games so it was a nice ballgame for us.

Hyde on importance of rewarding good performances: "I would love to do that every single time, yeah, and I think John's a pro and John is just starting his major league career and he's off to an unbelievable start and he's got a long career ahead of him. And we have five months to go and we're going to put John in position to have success. So we'll see how it goes. I can't answer if we're going to go six-man rotation or if he goes back to the bullpen, that kind of thing. I think we're going to let this play out a little bit and we'll go from there."

Hyde on Wilkerson not hit by pitch and then homers: "Baseball, right? Good to see Stevie do that. I know he wants to come up here and contribute and he wants to show well right away and kind of tough at-bats going up to that at-bat, and for him to go deep there, it must have felt great.

"Yeah, Stevie's going to get a lot of playing time and I play everybody and everybody's going to have a role and everybody's going to play. So Stevie's going to move around the field like a lot of these guys are. In the ninth inning I moved how many guys position-wise? So if I'm a player this is the kind of opportunity I'd want, where I'm able to showcase my skills, I'm going to play in the big leagues and I've got a chance to move around the field to show people what I can do. And that's where a lot of these guys are right now."

Means on good start on birthday: "It feels pretty good. I wish I could have gone a little longer and helped the bullpen out, but it feels good."

Means on changeup being big pitch again: "Yeah, it's saving me lately. I don't really have my breaking stuff as good as I'd like and there's a lot to improve on, but I'm happy with how it worked tonight."

Means on how he'd attack hitters at age 25 compared to now: "I don't know. I was talking to (Andrew) Cashner. That's the difference up here is you get the stacked lineups because they're trying to win every game possible. In the minors they kind of just throw their best guys out there. Up here they'll stack those righties just to try to get that win and that's the biggest difference."

Means on going back and forth from rotation to 'pen: "That's the difference I have to learn and keep my pitch count down. When you come out of the bullpen it doesn't really matter, your pitch count, because you're to strike everybody out and when you're a starter you're trying to get into the sixth and seventh inning and that's not really what I've been doing. I was talking to Cashner a little bit after the game and he's kind of given me some pointer on how to get late in games and try to help the bullpen out."

Means on what month has meant to him: "It's been a whirlwind and I'm kind of still numb to it. I didn't think I'd be here, I didn't think I'd be on this team, and to be here and to be providing and doing well, it's really nice."

Means on whether more texts congratulating birthday or win: "It's been a mix, it's been a mix. They kind of throw in the 'Happy Birthday. Oh, and nice job tonight.' So it's kind of a mix."

Wilkerson on home run: "It felt good to round the bases. It was a weird at-bat before that. The umpire said I got hit by the pitch and then I hit one down the line that was just foul, but I was able to settle in and it felt really good."

Wilkerson on whether he got the ball: "Yes, the bullpen got it for me. Maybe put it in a little shadow box or something, I'm not sure yet."

Wilkerson on what week's been like: "It's been great. It was an interesting spring, and a tough little situation there at the start of the season. I hit the ground running. I'm really fortunate to be back here and really happy to be here."