Urrutia and Clevenger on Norfolk's strong year, plus other O's and minors notes

While the Orioles were losing another game on Sunday, their Triple-A Norfolk affiliate picked up what was likely one of its biggest wins of the year.

Playing the team that is trying to keep them from winning a division championship, Norfolk won 4-3 at Gwinnett. That gives the Tides a three-game lead over the Braves atop the division with nine games to play. Their lead would have been cut to one game with a loss Sunday. Norfolk had lost nine of 11 heading into this game.

Norfolk is 75-60 with a magic number of seven to clinch the division and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2005.

First baseman Christian Walker hit a two-run homer for the Tides. He has 11 homers, 40 RBIs and an OPS of .863 since the All-Star break. Winning pitcher Terry Doyle went 7 2/3, allowing five hits and two runs. Doyle has 15 wins this year between Norfolk and Double-A Bowie and is 3-1 with an ERA of 2.85 for the Tides.

In interviews recently at Camden Yards, I talked to two players that have spent a lot of time with Norfolk this year in Henry Urrutia and Steve Clevenger.

Urrutia said Norfolk has had strong chemistry this season.

"The most important thing, I think, is that everybody plays like a family," he said. "I think that is a big reason we've won. I have played three years in Norfolk and it was pretty good to play down there before. But this year has been different. Everyone is happy every day and playing that way. We talk to each other like brothers, not just like friends, like brothers. I think that is important and then in the field you can do anything."

Clevenger said the coaches and manager Ron Johnson have been huge for the Tides players.

"The coaching staff is strong. RJ is a great guy to play for. He's even keel, doesn't get too high or too low. He is very honest and up front. When you are playing bad, he will you let know that. He is someone I respect and he has helped me develop a lot over the last two years, mentally and physically. It is a great group of guys there that pitch well and play very good defense. The record shows it.

"It is a tight group of guys that have been playing good baseball all year. The pitching staff has been solid. The back end of the bullpen with Pedro (Beato) and (Cesar) Cabral, Steve Johnson and Oliver Drake have been real good all season. Those guys want to be out there every night and they know the Orioles aren't scared to bring them up here," Clevenger said.

Norfolk has now played 60 one-run games, more than any other team in all of minor league baseball. The Tides are 34-26 (.567) in those games.

Gwinnett is going to get another shot at Norfolk. The clubs begin a series of four games over three days starting Wednesday at Harbor Park.

Double-A Bowie lost 9-8 at Reading on Sunday. But as the Baysox (75-58) return home tonight, they have a magic number of one to clinch a playoff berth. They host Altoona this evening at 7:05 p.m. and a win will put the Baysox into the Eastern League playoffs for the sixth time in the club's 23-year history. They are also closing in on their second division championship.

The short season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds are locked in a three-team race for first place. At 35-33, Aberdeen is a half-game behind division co-leaders Hudson Valley and Staten Island at 35-32.

On Sunday Aberdeen beat Vermont 9-5 as outfielder Cedric Mullins went 3-5 with a single, double, triple and two RBIs. Ryan Mountcastle had two hits and two RBIs and Randolph Gassaway went 3-for-5. Aberdeen had 15 hits and went 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

As for the Orioles: The O's come home with a record of 63-67 and flickering playoff hopes after a 1-6 road trip and with 10 losses in the last 11 games.

Since July 1 when the Orioles were 42-36 and leading the American League East by a half-game, they have gone 21-31 to drop to four games under .500 and into fourth place, now 11 games back. The Orioles trail the second wild card spot by 5 1/2 games with five teams ahead of them in that race right now.

The Orioles have scored three runs or less in 10 of their last 11 games, all losses, and in 28 of their last 48 games. They are 9-51 when scoring fewer than four runs.

Beginning with tonight's home series against Tampa Bay, the Orioles will play 26 of their final 32 games versus the AL East. They are 26-24 in division games.