Written by Jonathan Knight

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BETTER IN THE CLUTCH: While the Indians have struggled with runners in scoring position all season, they’re actually hitting better in these situations (.247) than they are overall (.243).

WINNING AND LOSING THE CLOSE ONES: The Indians are now 7-1 in one-run games but 1-4 in extra-inning affairs. They’ve dropped all four of their extra-inning games at home.

ALL-TIME TOTALS: The Indians’ all-time record against the Rangers climbed to 191-235, while their mark against the White Sox moved to 997-1,040.

NO POWER: In their four-game series, the Indians and White Sox combined to hit just two home runs.

RAGE ENDURANCE: After never saving three games in three days before this season, Chris Perez has now done it twice in the last month.

LONE STAR STRUGGLES: Over the past four seasons going into last weekend, the Indians were 4-21 overall against Texas, 3-13 against the Rangers in Cleveland.

ZACH ATTACK: In his fifth major-league start, Zach McAllister picked up his first big-league victory in the first game of doubleheader and continued his gradual improvement process. In his first two starts, he posted an ERA of 12.28, allowing 14 hits and 5 walks in 7.1 innings. In his next three, his ERA was 2.20 with 18 hits and 3 walks in 16.1 innings.

A GOOD SIGN?: Saturday night’s game with Texas drew 21,307 to Progressive Field - the Tribe’s largest home crowd of the season since opening day. The Indians still rank last in the American League in attendance, averaging 13,539 per home game.

SIPP ON THIS: Before giving up a pair of runs against Texas on Sunday, struggling Tony Sipp had not allowed a run in his last five appearances. In that stretch, his ERA dipped from 14.73 to 7.36, only to bounce back up to 9.00 on Sunday. Though he’s struggled so far this season, Sipp has held opponents scoreless in 9 of his 13 appearances.

BIG-TIME TURNAROUND: Last weekend’s series was essentially the stark opposite of the Rangers’ previous trip to Cleveland last June. In that four-game series, the Rangers:

• outscored the Indians 24-6 (last weekend: Indians outscored them 12-10)
• hit .324 as a team with 15 extra-base hits & 6 homers (last weekend: hit .255 with 8 extra-base hits & 1 homer)
• starting pitchers had a 1.26 ERA for the series (last weekend: 4.50

QUICK 10: Hitting it in just 23 games, Chris Perez got to 10 saves faster than any Cleveland closer in history. He’s now ahead of the lightning pace of Joe Borowski in his 45-save season of 2007. Borowski picked up nine saves in the first 20 games, but didn’t get his 10th until the 25th game.

SIPP’S SAVE: Tony Sipp’s save on Monday was just the second of his big-league career. His first came against Tampa Bay on July 23, 2010.

A YEAR AGO: After 30 games in 2011, the Indians stood at 21-9, best record in baseball and first place in the AL Central, 4.5 games ahead of the Royals.

 

PROGRESS REPORT:

The Indians are averaging 4.4 runs per game and allowing 4.57.

Batting average: .243 (9th in AL)

Slugging percentage: .377 (10th in AL)

On-base percentage: .336 (3rd in AL)

Walks: 139 (1st in AL)

Stolen bases: 21 (3rd in AL)

Strikeouts: 205 (11th in AL)

With runners in scoring position: .247 (65 for 263)

 

Team ERA: 4.07 (10th in AL)

Walks allowed: 116 (13th in AL)

Strikeouts: 190 (12th in AL)

Opponents with runners in scoring position: .276 (78 for 283)

Errors: 17 (7th in AL)

 

STARTING PITCHERS:

12-9, 4.01 ERA

(179.2 IP, 80 ER)

 

RELIEF PITCHERS:

5-4, 13 saves, 2 blown saves, 4.17 ERA

(101.1 IP, 47 ER)

 

INDIANS’ OVERALL RECORD IN GAMES STARTED BY:

Lowe 4-2 (5 quality starts)

Gomez 3-2 (2 quality starts)

Tomlin 3-2 (3 quality starts)

Masterson 3-4 (4 quality starts)

Jimenez 3-3 (3 quality starts)

McAllister 1-0 (1 quality start)

 

INDIANS’ RECORD BY UNIFORM:

White Script “Indians”: 3-5

Blue Script “Indians”: 7-3

Gray Block “Cleveland”: 4-1

Creamy white home alternate: 3-4

 

INDIANS’ RECORD BY CAP:

Chief Wahoo Cap: 10-8

Block C Blue Cap: 4-1

Block C Red Cap: 3-4

 

TEXAS SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Indians outscored the Rangers, 12-10. Each team committed one error. Two of the Indians’ runs were unearned.

 

Overall Hitting

Texas 27 for 106 (.255), 11 walks (.325 on-base percentage)

Cleveland 24 for 99 (.242), 9 walks, 1 HPB (.312 on-base percentage)

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Texas 6 for 25 (.240), 22 left on base

Cleveland 5 for 24 (.208), 17 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Texas 8 (1 HR)

Cleveland 8 (3 HR)

 

Overall Pitching

Texas 27 IP, 24 H, 9 BB, 26 SO, 10 ER, 3.33 ERA

Cleveland 29 IP, 27 H, 11 BB, 16 SO, 10 ER, 3.10 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Texas 0-2; 20 IP, 21 H, 8 BB, 19 SO, 10 ER, 4.50 ERA

Cleveland 2-0; 20 IP, 19 H, 8 BB, 9 SO, 5 ER, 2.25 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Texas 1-0, 1 save; 7 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 ER, 0.00 ERA 

Cleveland 0-1, 2 saves; 9 IP, 8 H, 3 BB, 7 SO, 5 ER, 5.00 ERA

 

CHICAGO SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The White Sox outscored the Indians, 21-15. The Indians committed four errors and the White Sox committed one. Two of Chicago’s runs were unearned, as was one of the Indians’.

 

Overall Hitting

Chicago 33 for 137 (.241), 17 walks (.325 on-base percentage)

Cleveland 33 for 134 (.246), 16 walks, 1 HPB (.331 on-base percentage)

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Chicago 11 for 36 (.306), 25 left on base

Cleveland 8 for 35 (.229), 31 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Chicago 7 (1 HR)

Cleveland 9 (1 HR)

 

Overall Pitching

Chicago 35 IP, 33 H, 16 BB, 20 SO, 14 ER, 3.60 ERA

Cleveland 37 IP, 33 H, 17 BB, 28 SO, 19 ER, 4.62 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Chicago 1-1; 22.1 IP, 25 H, 10 BB, 11 SO, 13 ER, 5.24 ERA

Cleveland 1-1; 26 IP, 26 H, 12 BB, 18 SO, 14 ER, 4.85 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Chicago 1-1, 1 save, 1 blown save; 12.2 IP, 8 H, 6 BB, 9 SO, 1 ER, 0.71 ERA 

Cleveland 1-1, 2 saves, 1 blown save; 11 IP, 7 H, 5 BB, 10 SO, 5 ER, 4.09 ERA

 

UP NEXT: 

at Boston Red Sox [12-18]

(Thursday 7:10 p.m.; Friday 7:10 p.m., Saturday, 7:10 p.m., Sunday 1:35 p.m.)

Last year: Indians won season series, 6-4

 

at Minnesota Twins [8-22]

(Monday 8:10 p.m.; Tuesday 1:10 p.m.)

Last year: Indians won season series, 11-7

 

Seattle Mariners [15-18]

(Wednesday 7:05 p.m.; Thursday 12:05 p.m.)

Last year: Indians won season series, 5-4

This year: Indians lead season series, 2-1

 

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