Written by Jonathan Knight

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NAILBITERS: The Indians are now 2-3 on the season in one-run games. A year ago they were 23-21 in one-run games.

EXTRAS: In a coincidental twist, the final game in L.A. marked Cleveland’s first extra-inning affair since the Angels’ last trip to Cleveland last September. The Indians won that game in 11 innings, 3-2, and finished the year 6-6 in extra-inning games.

RACKING UP THE FREQUENT FLYER MILES: Interestingly, the Indians will return to Los Angeles to face the Angels again just 22 days after completing their first series there.

ALL-TIME TOTALS: The Indians’ all-time record against the Angels dropped to 285-307, while their lead over the Orioles improved to 418-383 and their slim series lead over the Royals remained the same, now at 285-274.

SHUTOUT DROUGHT: The Indians’ offensive goose-egg against the Angels marked the first time they’d been shut out in 27 games, interestingly, since the last time they faced the Angels last September. The Tribe was shut out 15 times in 2010.

MORE GOOSE EGGS: Mitch Talbot’s masterpiece in Los Angeles was the Tribe’s second shutout of the young season. A year ago the Indians didn’t notch their second shutout until June 9 and only tallied four all season.

TURNING IT UP A NOTCH: After hitting a woeful .141 as a team in the series against the Angels, the Indians turned things around dramatically back home versus Baltimore, hitting .327 in the three-game sweep. The trend was even more dramatic with runners in scoring position: after hitting just .077 (1 for 13) with runners in scoring position in L.A., the Indians were at the opposite end of the spectrum against Baltimore, hitting .522 (12 for 23) with runners in scoring position.

A RARE SATURDAY MATINEE: Once a tradition at Jacobs Field, Saturday-afternoon games in Cleveland have now gone by the wayside. Aside from a smattering of early season exceptions, the Indians haven’t scheduled Saturday afternoon games on a regular basis since 2003.

FAUSTO’S INCREDIBLE SHRINKING ERA: After opening day, Fausto Carmona’s ERA was 30.00. Following his solid seven-inning performance on Sunday, it had dropped to 4.74. Over his next three starts following the opener, Carmona pitched 21.2 innings and had a 1.25 ERA.

HITTING FIVE DIGITS: Though the weather didn’t completely cooperate, the Indians front office had to be pleased with the uptick in attendance totals for the Baltimore series. After coming in at less than 10,000 for four of the six games of the first home stand of the season, all three Orioles games drew 10,000-plus, including a Friday-night (and Dollar Dog) crowd of 16,346, which signified the second-largest home crowd of the season.

HOME COOKING: Dating back to last season, the Indians have won 13 of their last 15 home games.

GOOD OMEN, GOOD MEMORY: Grady Sizemore’s triumphant return to the lineup in the finale against Baltimore (solo homer and a double) evoked memories of another surprisingly early comeback by another Cleveland center fielder. Despite tearing up his shoulder sliding into first in Game 5 of the 1999 ALDS against Boston, Kenny Lofton made dramatic progress in rehab in the offseason and against all expectations, was in the lineup on opening day, 2000. He hit a home run in his third at-bat, then drove in another run in his fourth to lead the Tribe to a 4-1 win in Baltimore.

THE RETURN OF PRONK?: Travis Hafner clubbed his fourth home run of the season against the Orioles on Sunday - a year ago he didn’t hit his fourth homer until May 22.

SWEET SWEEP, PART ONE: The Baltimore sweep was the continuance of a run of success the Tribe has enjoyed over the Orioles over the past decade. It marked the seventh time the Indians have swept them in Cleveland since 1999. Since defeating the Orioles in the 1997 ALCS, the Indians lead the series with Baltimore 62-36, including a 35-14 mark at Jacobs/Progressive Field.

SWEET SWEEP, PART TWO: In their history, the Indians had never before swept three series in the month of April. They hadn’t swept three series (of at least three games) in any month since August of 2008.

HISTORIC START: By pushing their record to 11-4, the Indians tied for the team’s third-best start after 15 games with the 1925, 1930, 1935, 1938, 1941, 1948, 1959, 1998, and 2002 teams. The only teams to hold a better record after 15 games were the 1966 Indians (14-1) and the 1942, 1988, and 1999 squads (all 12-3).

SIX AND THE CITY: Before Jeanmar Gomez’s tough start in KC, the Indians had extended their string to 11 consecutive games in which their starting pitcher went at least six innings. Their starters have gone at least six innings in 16 of their 19 games so far this season, and they’ve gone seven innings or more nine times.

REIGNING OVER THE ROYALS: The Indians haven’t lost a season series to the Royals since 2003.

KEEPING IT CLOSE: When the Royals soared to a 5-0 lead on Tuesday night, it was the largest deficit the Indians had faced since losing to the White Sox by five: 15 games and 17 days before.

STRUGGLING EARLY: In each game in Kansas City, the Indians floundered at the plate in the early going but managed to turn it on late. In the first five innings of each game, the Indians combined to score just four runs and hit only .171 (12 for 70). After the fifth inning, they scored 16 runs and hit .395 (30 for 76).

MASTERSON AND COMMANDER: Following Justin Masterson’s solid performance on Wednesday, he not only moved to 4-0 on the year, but is now only two victories away from matching his career high of six (2008 and 2010).

TAKING COMMAND: In nine of the Indians’ 13 victories they never trailed.

POWER OUTAGE: In what is likely a preview of things to come, in the four-game series in Kansas City, despite hitting .283 as a team and rapping 12 extra-base hits, the Indians failed to hit a home run.

ENDING A SOLID STRING: The heartbreaking finale with the Royals marked just the second time all season the Indians lost a game in which they’d led. Chris Perez blew his first save in 16 chances, since Aug. 6 of last season. The two runs he allowed were the first he’d permitted all year and ended a stretch of 26.1 consecutive scoreless innings.

A YEAR AGO: After 19 games in 2010, the Indians stood at 8-11, good for third place, five games back of the first-place Twins.

 

LOS ANGELES SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

Though they lost two of the three games, the Indians still outscored the Angels, 7-6 - all of the runs scored in the series were earned.

Overall Hitting

Cleveland 14 for 99 (.141), 11 walks

Los Angeles 15 for 96 (.156), 10 walks

With Runners in Scoring Position

Cleveland 1 for 13 (.077), 14 left on base

Los Angeles 0 for 12 (.000), 16 left on base

Extra-Base Hits

Cleveland 5 (2 HR)

Los Angeles 6 (3 HR)

Overall Pitching

Cleveland 28.2 IP, 15 H, 10 BB, 20 SO, 6 ER, 1.88 ERA

Los Angeles 30 IP, 14 H, 11 BB, 19 SO, 7 ER, 2.10 ERA

Starting Pitchers

Cleveland 1-1; 22.2 IP, 14 H, 7 BB, 15 SO, 3 ER, 1.19 ERA

Los Angeles 1-1; 21 IP, 11 H, 8 BB, 14 SO, 7 ER, 3.00 ERA

Relief Pitchers

Cleveland 0-1; 6 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 SO, 1 ER, 1.50 ERA

Los Angeles 1-0; 9 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 5 SO, 0 ER, 0.00 ERA

 

BALTIMORE SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Indians outscored the Orioles, 20-7 - each team scored one unearned run.

Overall Hitting

Baltimore 24 for 101 (.238), 3 walks

Cleveland 32 for 98 (.327), 7 walks

With Runners in Scoring Position

Baltimore 5 for 24 (.208), 19 left on base

Cleveland 12 for 23 (.522), 15 left on base

Extra-Base Hits

Baltimore 4 (2 HR)

Cleveland 12 (6 HR)

Overall Pitching

Baltimore 24 IP, 32 H, 7 BB, 19 ER, 7.13 ERA

Cleveland 27 IP, 24 H, 3 BB, 6 ER, 2.00 ERA

Starting Pitchers

Baltimore 0-3; 16 IP, 24 H, 2 BB, 13 ER, 7.31 ERA

Cleveland 3-0, 20 IP, 15 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 1.80 ERA

Relief Pitchers

Baltimore 8 IP, 8 H, 5 BB, 6 ER, 6.75 ERA

Cleveland 1 save; 7 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 2 ER, 2.57 ERA

 

KANSAS CITY SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Indians outscored the Royals, 20-16 - one of the Indians’ runs was unearned.

Overall Hitting

Cleveland 41 for 145 (.283), 21 walks

Kansas City 33 for 134 (.246), 17 walks

With Runners in Scoring Position

Cleveland 13 for 39 (.333), 39 left on base

Kansas City 9 for 39 (.231), 34 left on base

Extra-Base Hits

Cleveland 12 (0 HR)

Kansas City 11 (1 HR)

Overall Pitching

Cleveland 35.1 IP, 33 H, 17 BB, 16 ER, 4.08 ERA

Kansas City 37 IP, 41 H, 21 BB, 19 ER, 4.62 ERA

Starting Pitchers

Cleveland 1-1; 24 IP, 27 H, 9 BB, 11 ER, 4.13 ERA

Kansas City 1-1; 25 IP, 23 H, 9 BB, 12 ER, 4.32 ERA

Relief Pitchers

Cleveland 1-1, 1 save; 11.1 IP, 6 H, 8 BB, 5 ER, 3.97 ERA

Kansas City 1-1; 12 IP, 18 H, 10 BB, 7 ER, 5.25 ERA

 

UP NEXT:

at Minnesota Twins [7-12]

(Friday 8:10 p.m.; Saturday 1:10 p.m., Sunday, 2:10 p.m.)

Probable Starters:

Carmona (1-2, 4.74 ERA) vs. Duensing (1-0, 3.60 ERA)

Carrasco (1-1, 4.85 ERA) vs. Liriano (1-3, 7.40 ERA)

Gomez (0-1, 10.38 ERA) vs. Pavano (1-2, 5.47 ERA)

Last year: Twins won season series, 12-6

 

Kansas City Royals [12-7]

(Tuesday 7:05 p.m.; Wednesday 7:05 p.m.; Thursday 7:05 p.m.)

Probable Starters:

Masterson (4-0, 1.71 ERA) vs. Hochevar (2-2, 5.12 ERA)

Tomlin (3-0, 1.35 ERA) vs. O’Sullivan (1-1, 4.20 ERA)

Carmona (1-2, 4.74 ERA) vs. Francis (0-1, 3.00 ERA)

Last year: Indians won season series, 10-8

This year: Tied, 2-2