Gary Allenson will return this season as manager of the Norfolk Tides, and he'll have plenty of familiar faces with him.

Norfolk Tides president Ken Young has been named Minor League Executive of the Year by Baseball America. The Tides are the Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Young also is president of the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Class-A Frederick Keys, both affiliates of the Orioles, and the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Staff report Durham, N.C. The Norfolk Tides scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a 2-2 tie and held on for a 4-3 victory over Durham on Monday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in the teams' International League regular-season finale. The Tides, who snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday, closed the season with a 71-71 record. Durham (83-61) advances to the IL playoffs.

Durham, N.C. Ray Olmedo's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning broke a tie and gave the Durham Bulls a 3-2 win over the Norfolk Tides on Sunday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Olmedo's hit drove in John Jaso, who had doubled against Tides reliever Bob McCrory (0-3). McCrory had entered at the start of the inning and quickly got two outs.

Durham, N.C. The Norfolk Tides managed only three hits against four Durham pitchers and fell to the playoff-bound Bulls 5-1 on Saturday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Twelve Tides went down on strikes, with eight of the strikeouts recorded by starter and winner Rayner Oliveros (1-0), who gave up two hits and an unearned run in 5 2/3 innings.

MANNY ACOSTA was laboring, having walked the Tides' Dave Krynzel and Jonathan Tucker with one out in the ninth inning. But Acosta then struck out the Tides' No. 3 and 4 hitters, Justin Turner and Rhyne Hughes, to seal Gwinnett's victory. ____ The View Turner and Hughes took called third strikes.

A two-run homer by Rhyne Hughes and a run-scoring double by Guillermo Rodriguez in the first inning gave the Tides enough runs to win on a soggy Thursday night. How do you spell relief?

Apprarently the third time is the charm for Ambiorix Concepcion. He has been in the Tides' media guide three times, but had never played with them until this week. The guide made it easier to check on Concepcion's career after he hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie. So why three?

By Jim Hodges,  Special to The Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK Daniel Hudson had no idea why he was pulled after shutting out the Tides for three innings in the first game of Tuesday night's doubleheader.

Staff report
NORFOLK
Rain postponed Monday night's game between the Norfolk Tides and Charlotte Knights at Harbor Park. The teams will play two seven-inning games starting at 6:15 tonight.
Right-hander David Pauley (9-11, 4.41 ERA) and lefty Chris George (1-1, 3.93) will start for the Tides against Charlotte right-handers Daniel Hudson (2-0, 3.43) and Jack Egbert (6-9, 4.74).