Written by Jonathan Knight

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GETTING BETTER: The Indians’ home attendance for the year now stands at 1,225,388 - 10th in the American League. The total tops Baltimore, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Oakland.

ALL-TIME TOTALS: The Indians’ all-time record against the Rangers dropped to 189-231. Their mark against the Tigers improved to 1,028-1,054.

LONE STAR LOSING STREAK: Saturday’s comeback win snapped a seven-game Tribe losing streak to the Rangers.

OUT-MUSCLED: For as powerful as the Texas offense has been all season, the Indians actually out-slugged them last weekend, hitting 10 extra-base hits with four home runs to the Rangers’ seven and two.

DOUBLE DIGITS: Thursday marked the sixth time this season the Indians scored 10 or more runs in a game, their first since lighting up Toronto for 13 on June 1.

BLOWING IT: The five-run lead the Indians squandered on Friday night was their largest blown lead of the season.

MORE MAGIC: Saturday’s win also marked the Indians’ 27th come-from-behind victory of the season, and their 17th triumph in their last at-bat. Their 18th followed in Tuesday night’s marathon with Detroit, which also represented their ninth walk-off victory.

YOU WOULDN’T THINK IT: With 44 RBI on the season, Michael Brantley has just two less than Travis Hafner.

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS: Over the past three seasons, the Indians hold a record of just 4-18 against the Rangers. With a 1-6 record against Texas in 2011, it marks the third time in the past eight seasons that the Tribe has only managed to beat Texas once in a season, joining 2004 and 2009 (both 1-8).

DIVISIONAL MATTERS: The Indians’ record in the Central Division now stands at 18-19.

TIGERS, OH MY: Wednesday night’s Tribe victory was its 13th straight over the Tigers at Progressive Field.

MORE LIKE IT: The Detroit series marked the Indians’ first series victory since taking two of three from the Yankees July 4-6. They’d either lost or tied eight consecutive series.

TRIBE KILLER: In his last 11 starts against the Indians, Justin Verlander is 8-1 with a 2.65 ERA. In those 11 games, the Tribe averaged just four hits per contest against him.

CENTURY HITTERS: The only two Indians with 100 hits on the season are Asdrubal Cabrera (133) and Michael Brantley (113). The next closest is Carlos Santana with 91.

NO JOE SCHMOE: The three runs Joe Smith allowed in Texas on Friday was the most he’d permitted in his last 73 outings. Take that single outing away and his season ERA drops from 1.72 to 1.15.

 

TURNING A CORNER?: Over his last seven starts, Fausto Carmona has an ERA of 3.10.

MARATHON MEN: At 14 innings, Tuesday night’s marathon was the Indians’ longest game of the season, appropriately topping the 13-inning Indians-Tigers affair on April 30. It was the Tribe’s longest contest since going 16 innings in a loss to the Angels last September.

RAGE IN NEED OF REDEMPTION: Chris Perez has allowed at least one run in six of his last eight outings. Since going five straight outings without giving up a run from June 22-July 6, Perez is 0-2 with two saves, two blown saves, and an ERA of 7.72.

SAVING THE DAY?: Saturday night’s high-wire save gave Chris Perez 23 for the season, matching his total for 2010. It was his first successful save since July 15 - having blown two opportunities in between.

THE MAFIA STRIKES AGAIN: After a shaky series in Texas, the Indians’ bullpen did not allow a run in 15 innings against Detroit.

 

THE GOOD KIND OF DROUGHT: Indians pitchers have not allowed a home run in their last 49 innings.

NEEDING FIVE TO STAY ALIVE: Friday night marked just the ninth time all season the Indians lost a game in which they managed to score at least five runs. Their record when scoring at least five now stands at 41-9, compared to their 17-48 record when they score less than five. Conversely, the Tribe is 6-32 when its opponent scores at least five runs.

A NOTICEABLE PATTERN: This year the Indians hold a 9-20 record against teams that made the postseason in 2010. They’re 26-35 against teams that currently have a.500 or better record and 32-22 against teams currently below .500.

LATE-INNING DRAMA: The Indians have now lost three games in which they took a lead into the ninth. Saturday night’s comeback marked the fourth time the Indians have won a game they trailed going into the ninth. The Tribe is now 5-5 in extra-inning games, having lost four of the last six, and 19-20 in one-run games, having lost seven of the last nine.

PROGRESS REPORT: The Indians are averaging 4.30 runs per game and allowing 4.30. Their team batting average is .247 (11th in the AL) and team ERA is 3.96 (ninth in the AL).

A YEAR AGO: After 115 games in 2010, the Indians stood at 48-67, fourth place in the AL Central, 17 games back of the first-place Twins.

 

TEXAS SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Rangers outscored the Indians, 18-17. Three of the Indians’ runs and two of the Rangers’ runs were unearned. Each team committed two errors.

Overall Hitting

Cleveland 26 for 107 (.243), 9 walks

Texas 27 for 107 (.252), 10 walks

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Cleveland 4 for 21 (.191), 16 left on base

Texas 7 for 21 (.333), 19 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

 Cleveland 10 (4 HR)

Texas 7 (2 HR)

 

Overall Pitching

Cleveland 27.2 IP, 27 H, 10 BB, 19 SO, 16 ER, 5.20 ERA

Texas 29 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 SO, 3 ER, 3.00 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Cleveland 18.1 IP, 17 H, 7 BB, 13 SO, 9 ER, 1.47 ERA

Texas 15.2 IP, 15 H, 4 BB, 13 SO, 9 ER, 5.17 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Cleveland 1-2, 1 save; 9.1 IP, 10 H, 3 BB, 6 SO, 7 ER, 6.75 ERA

Texas 2-1, 2 saves; 13.1 IP, 11 H, 5 BB, 10 SO, 5 ER, 3.37 ERA

 

DETROIT SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Indians outscored the Tigers, 16-9. The Tigers scored one unearned run. Each team committed one error.

Overall Hitting

Detroit 24 for 116 (.207), 7 walks

Cleveland 28 for 114 (.246), 8 walks

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

 Detroit 4 for 22 (.182), 20 left on base

Cleveland 9 for 22 (.409), 19 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Detroit 5 (0 HR)

Cleveland 12 (2 HR)

 

Overall Pitching

Detroit 30.1 IP, 28 H, 8 BB, 31 SO, 16 ER, 4.75 ERA

Cleveland 32 IP, 24 H, 7 BB, 27 SO, 8 ER, 2.25 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Detroit 1-1; 12.2 IP, 18 H, 3 BB, 13 SO, 13 ER, 9.23 ERA

Cleveland 1-1; 17 IP, 17 H, 4 BB, 14 SO, 8 ER, 4.24 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Detroit 0-1; 17.2 IP, 10 H, 5 BB, 18 SO, 3 ER, 1.53 ERA

Cleveland 1-0; 15 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 13 SO, 0 ER, 0.00 ERA

 

 

UP NEXT:

Minnesota Twins [52-65]

(Friday 7:05 p.m.; Saturday 7:05 p.m., Sunday 1:05 p.m.)

Probable Starters:

Tomlin (11-5, 4.08 ERA); Huff (1-1, 0.51 ERA); Masterson (9-7, 2.71 ERA)

Last year: Twins won series, 12-6

This year: Twins lead series, 6-3

 

at Chicago White Sox [58-59]

(Tuesday 8:10 p.m., Wednesday 8:10 p.m., Thursday 8:10 p.m.)

Probable Starters:

Jimenez (7-9, 4.57 ERA); Carmona (5-12, 5.12 ERA); Tomlin

Last year: Series tied, 9-9

This year: White Sox lead series, 6-1

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