O's game blog: The Orioles are 25-17 in AL East games

With a win in either of the next two games, the Orioles can add another American League East series victory to their already impressive total.

The Orioles begin today leading the division by three games and one big reason is their 25-17 AL East record. The Orioles have won eight, lost three and tied two series in the East in 2014.

They have lost just one of their last 10 AL East series, going 7-1-2 in that span, and that was against Tampa Bay. The Orioles have a 5-2 record against the Yankees. The O's are 10-10 at home this year in division games and 15-7 on the road.

The Orioles have won nine of their last 11 and 14 of 20 games. Today's pitching matchup features Chris Tillman (7-4, 4.11 ERA) against 25-year-old right-hander Shane Greene (1-0, 2.84 ERA) who is making his second big league start.

Minors matters: At Norfolk last night, the Tides played a wild doubleheader. In the minors, doubleheaders are scheduled as two seven-inning games and in Norfolk's twinbill Friday against Gwinnett, both games went extra frames.

Norfolk led the opener 7-2 in the sixth, fell behind 8-7 in the seventh, tied it 8-8 in the bottom of the inning, fell behind 11-8 in the eighth and then scored four in the last of the eight to win in a walk-off, 12-11 on Cord Phelps' two-run double.

Gwinnett won the second game 7-4 in 11 innings as the two games took a combined eight hours, 19 minutes to complete.

Left-hander Chris Jones gave up two runs over five innings in that contest. Over his last five starts, Jones has pitched to an ERA of 1.61.

Single-A Frederick's season-high six-game win streak ended Friday night in a 4-0 loss to Potomac. Keys starter Branden Kline gave up four runs over seven innings. It was the sixth time this year he has pitched seven innings.

Conor Bierfeldt hit a grand slam in the seventh inning last night to put Single-A Delmarva ahead as the Shorebirds (50-42) won 9-8 at Lakewood. Bierfeldt has 49 RBIs to lead Delmarva.

Short-season Single-A Aberdeen beat Batavia 9-4 to post its fifth straight win. The O's fourth-round draft pick, right-hander Pat Connaughton, made that start allowing four runs over 1 2/3 innings. He had pitched three scoreless innings in his first two pro appearances.