There have been multiple instances when manager Buck Showalter preserved his late-inning relievers for situations when the Orioles go into the final frames with a lead. But he certainly didn’t anticipate – and definitely didn’t want – to use right-hander Mychal Givens in the sixth inning of the Orioles’ eventual 15-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
After watching relievers Alec Asher and Richard Bleier fail to get the final out of the inning four batters after removing starter Wade Miley – watching a nine-run lead morph into a situation where the tying run was in the on-deck circle – Showalter turned to Givens with the bases loaded to escape the sixth without further damage.