Steve Clevenger and Henry Urrutia keep contributing (O's lose 3-2)

The newest call-ups from Triple-A Norfolk continue to make an impact with the Orioles.

Steve Clevenger singled tonight with one out in the second inning and scored on Henry Urrutia's two-out double into left-center field to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead over the Twins at Camden Yards.

Clevenger made the opening day roster and was gone the following night, optioned to Norfolk as Chris Davis came off the restricted list. He's 15-for-37 (.405) with two doubles, a home run, six RBIs and six runs scored in 11 games this season.

Returning to the minors came as a huge disappointment to Clevenger, and he wouldn't have minded a trade despite being a Baltimore native. The Mariners and at least two other teams expressed interest at the non-waiver deadline, but the Orioles held onto him.

Manager Buck Showalter challenged Clevenger, who's out of options next season, to hit .300 at Norfolk and work on his defense. He batted .305/.375/.393 in 75 games and made the International League All-Star team.

Clevenger, who's supplanted Jimmy Paredes as the left-handed designated hitter, will go on paternity leave next month. His wife is due with their first baby on Sept. 10.

Urrutia hit his first major league home run on Wednesday to give the Orioles a walk-off win against the Mets, and he went to the opposite field again tonight for his RBI double. J. J. Hardy grounded out after Clevenger singled up the middle, but Urrutia made sure the Orioles didn't strand another runner. They left two on base in the first.

Urrutia continues to get the starts in left field against right-handed pitching. The double lifted his average to .304 in 23 at-bats to go with six RBIs.

Hardy made it through batting practice and stayed in the lineup, but his slump has grown to 4-for-47 and he isn't running at full speed.

Chris Tillman has retired 11 in a row since Joe Mauer's bunt single in the first that followed Brian Dozier's walk. He's struck out four batters and thrown 59 pitches in four innings.

Tillman has 600 career strikeouts.

Update: Chris Tillman retired 14 in a row before Eduardo Escobar's leadoff double in the sixth. He moved to third on Byron Buxton's sacrifice bunt and scored on Brian Dozier's single into center field to tie the game.

I thought Tillman had a play at third base on the bunt.

Update II: The Orioles loaded the bases in the sixth and scored on J.J. Hardy's sacrifice fly to right field that concluded an eight-pitch at-bat and broke a 1-1 tie.

The Twins walked Steve Clevenger intentionally to get to Hardy. The inning included a nice sacrifice bunt from Jonathan Schoop after Chris Davis walked and Matt Wieters singled.

Update III: So much for that lead.

The Twins pushed across two runs in the seventh to lead 3-2. Eduardo Rosario walked with one out, Torii Hunter singled and Rosario scored the tying run on Kurt Suzuki's bunt. The Orioles walked Escobar intentionally and Buxton singled off Brad Brach to give Minnesota a 3-2 lead.

Tillman was charged with three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings, with two walks and six strikeouts. He threw 101 pitches, 64 for strikes.

Tillman hasn't lost since May 31 against the Rays.

Update IV: The Orioles lose again tonight, falling to the Twins 3-2 before 35,301 at Camden Yards.

Tillman's winning streak ends at seven decisions.

The Orioles are 62-60 overall and 0-6 against the Twins. They've lost four of their last five games.

The Orioles are 17-21 in one-run games.