Written by Jonathan Knight

---

IMPROVEMENT: The Indians improved their record by 11 games in 2011, their 17th-best one-year improvement in team history. Tops is 1986, when the Indians were 24 games better, followed by 1929 (plus-20) and 1916 and 1992 (both plus-19). They also made 11-game jumps in 1917 and 1979.

ALL-TIME TOTALS: The Indians’ all-time record against the Twins improved to 372-349. Their mark against the Tigers dropped to 1,028-1,063.

MORE MAGIC: Carlos Santana’s game-winning bomb on Friday night marked the Indians’ 12th walk-off victory and their 23rd win in their last at-bat. It also marked their 35th come-from-behind victory.

THE THOMENATOR: With his emotional homer on Friday night, Jim Thome increased his lead over Albert Belle as the Tribe’s all-time leader to 95. Thome now has hit 337 home runs as an Indian with 937 RBI.

FOURTEEN...TIMES THREE: The 14 runs the Indians allowed on Monday night were the most they’d allowed since the Red Sox clubbed them 14-2 on May 25. It was the 14th time this season they’d allowed 10 or more runs in a game.

TWIN TURNAROUND, PART 1: Finishing 11-7 against the Twins this season, the Indians managed to take the season series from Minnesota for the first time since 2007. It’s only the third time in the last 10 years the Indians have won the season series over the Twins.

TWIN TURNAROUND, PART 2: Keep in mind, the Indians lost the first three games they played against Minnesota this season - they wound up winning 11 of the last 15 games they played against the Twins.

PARALLELS: In five starts against the Tigers this year, Ubaldo Jimenez went 2-3 with a 5.08 ERA - essentially reflecting his numbers in his 11 starts with the Indians: 4-4 with a 5.10 ERA.

ANOTHER THOMECOMING: When Jim Thome was inserted into the game at third base on Sunday, it was the first time he’d played at third since the infamous Game Four of the 1996 AL Division Series when the Orioles rallied to defeat the Indians in 12 innings and eliminate them from the playoffs. Just like Sunday, Thome was inserted at third late in the game - and in 1996, the next batter was Roberto Alomar, who hit the series-winning homer.

DETROIT DOMINATION: The Indians finished the season having lost 10 straight to the Tigers. Detroit took the season series from the Tribe 12-6. Remember the Indians swept their first series back in April, meaning the Tigers won 12 of the last 15 meetings.

HOME COOKING: The Indians finished with a 44-37 home record, their first winning record at Progressive Field since going 45-36 in 2008.

OUT OF THE DEEPEST HOLE: Saturday night’s comeback from a 6-0 hole was the largest deficit the Indians have overcome to win a game all season.

SHELLEY’S SEPTEMBER: Shelley Duncan wrapped up a remarkable month of September, hitting seven home runs and 23 RBI with seven doubles.

TALBOT’S TAILSPIN: In eight starts since June 1, Mitch Talbot went 0-5 with a 7.78 ERA. In his four starts prior to that, he was 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA.

WHERE WE STAND: The 2010 Indians finished 69-93, 25 games back of the division-champion Twins.

 

MINNESOTA SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Indians outscored the Twins, 25-19. One of Minnesota’s runs was unearned. The Indians committed two errors.

Overall Hitting

Minnesota 40 for 143 (.280), 11 walks

Cleveland 40 for 133 (.301), 13 walks

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Minnesota 8 for 41 (.195), 31 left on base

Cleveland 16 for 36 (.444), 23 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Minnesota 16 (3 HR)

Cleveland 11 (3 HR)

 

Overall Pitching

Minnesota 34 IP, 40 H, 13 BB, 21 SO, 25 ER, 6.62 ERA

Cleveland 37 IP, 40 H, 11 BB, 27 SO, 18 ER, 4.38 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Minnesota 22.2 IP, 26 H, 7 BB, 13 SO, 15 ER, 5.96 ERA

Cleveland 22 IP, 29 H, 11 BB, 15 SO, 15 ER, 6.14 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Minnesota 1-3, 1 save; 11.1 IP, 11 H, 5 BB, 9 SO, 6 ER, 4.77 ERA

Cleveland 3-1, 1 save; 15 IP, 11 H, 0 BB, 12 SO, 3 ER, 1.80 ERA

 

DETROIT SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Tigers outscored the Indians, 28-10. One of Detroit’s runs was unearned. The Tigers committed three errors and the Indians committed one.

Overall Hitting

Cleveland 23 for 103 (.223), 7 walks

Detroit 42 for 109 (.385), 10 walks

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Cleveland 4 for 24 (.167), 21 left on base

Detroit 15 for 41 (.366), 23 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Cleveland 7 (0 HR)

Detroit 20 (5 HR)

 

Overall Pitching

Cleveland 24 IP, 42 H, 10 BB, 24 SO, 27 ER, 10.13 ERA

Detroit 27 IP, 23 H, 7 BB, 29 SO, 10 ER, 3.33 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Cleveland 0-2; 14.2 IP, 25 H, 6 BB, 12 SO, 14 ER, 8.59 ERA

Detroit 2-0; 19.2 IP, 15 H, 4 BB, 20 SO, 7 ER, 3.20 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Cleveland 0-1; 9.1 IP, 17 H, 4 BB, 12 SO, 9 ER, 8.68 ERA

Detroit 2 saves; 7.1 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 9 SO, 3 ER, 3.68 ERA

Follow @jknightwriter