A look at Norfolk and Bowie in their playoff chases and other minor league notes

With about two weeks remaining in the minor league regular season, the Orioles' top two affiliates continue to lead their divisions and close in on playoff berths.

Triple-A Norfolk is 73-56 and leading its division by three games over Gwinnett with 15 to play. But the Tides and Gwinnett have eight games remaining against each other and begin a four-game series on Thursday at Gwinnett. Norfolk has not made the International League playoffs since becoming the Orioles' top affiliate in 2007. The Tides' last playoff appearance was in 2005.

Tonight, the Tides begin a two-game home series at Harbor Park against Durham. Right-hander Terry Doyle is scheduled to start. Doyle is 14-2 with a 2.17 ERA this year between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie. Over 137 innings, Doyle has walked just 18 and fanned 99. In his four Norfolk starts, he is 2-1 with a 2.96 ERA.

Outfielder Dariel Alvarez extended his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games (.378/.417/.533) on Sunday. Outfielder Julio Borbon has now hit safely in 19 of his last 21 games (.333/.337/.395). Tides closer Oliver Drake extended his latest scoreless streak to seven games and seven innings after tossing a scoreless ninth inning on Sunday. The Tides were off last night.

The Bowie Baysox have lost four of six but lead their division in the Eastern League by 4 1/2 games with a record of 72-55. In their 22-year history, the Baysox have won their division just one time previously, in 2008. But now, the Baysox hold a magic number of eight to clinch a playoff berth and 11 to win the division.

Bowie has extended an impressive streak this season. The Baysox have finished .500 or above now for nine consecutive seasons since 2007.

Tonight at New Britain, 26-year-old Cuban-born lefty Ariel Miranda pitches for the Baysox. He is 2-1 with a 2.06 ERA in six Bowie starts. Over 35 innings, he has walked 11, fanned 32 and allowed a .220 average against.

Catcher Chance Sisco is batting .343 with a homer and three RBIs in nine games since moving up from Single-A Frederick. Sisco went 7-for-12 in his first three Double-A games and is batting .423 against right-handed pitching. The Baysox beat New Britain 5-2 last night as Nick Additon gave up just three hits and one uneared run over seven innings while Mike Yastrzemski, Quincy Latimore and Sisco had two hits each.

Elsewhere on the O's farm, infielder Ryan Mountcastle is 3-for-8 in two games with short season Single-A Aberdeen since moving up from the rookie level Gulf Coast League Orioles team. He homered on the first pitch he saw for the IronBirds on Sunday and went 2-for-5 last night. Mountcastle hit .313 in 43 games for the GCL Orioles.

Speaking of that GCL club, they will not make the playoffs, but have had an impressive season with a record of 32-23. Since losing eight of their first 10, the GCL O's are 30-15.

Right-hander Jake Bray is 1-0 with an 0.87 ERA and leads the GCL with 10 saves. Over 20 2/3 innings, he walked three and fanned 25. A 12th-round pick in the 2013 draft, Bray recently moved to Aberdeen.

Left-hander Xavier Borde, drafted this year in Round 36 out of the University of Arizona, has an ERA of 0.68 for the GCL team. Right-hander Kory Groves, a 2015 pick in the 34th round out of Cal State Monterey Bay, is 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA. Gray Fenter, this year's seventh-round selection, has an ERA of 1.45, and right-hander David Richardson has pitched to an ERA of 1.32. The GCL Orioles rank third in the league with a team ERA of 2.76.

O's minor league home runs leaders:

17 - Trey Mancini, Bowie
16 - Dariel Alvarez, Norfolk
15 - Christian Walker, Norfolk
14 - Quincy Latimore, Bowie
11 - Brandon Snyder, Bowie