Written by Jonathan Knight

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GOOSE-EGG QUINTET: Friday marked the Tribe’s fifth shutout of the season. It’s the most they’ve posted since notching six in 2009.

SILVER LINING: If you're desperately looking for one after the Tribe's miserable showing in New York, here it is: the last time the Indians were swept in Yankee Stadium was 2007 - also the last time they made the playoffs.

FEW AND FAR BETWEEN: Last weekend was the first time the Indians had played the Astros since 2001.

ALL-TIME TOTALS: The Indians’ all-time record with the Astros dipped to 8-10, while their mark against the Yankees fell to 849-1,078.

POLAR OPPOSITES: Indians’ opponents are now hitting .300 for the season with runners in scoring position, while the Indians themselves have dipped below .240. 

SPUTTERING: Before their four-run, ninth-inning explosion Tuesday night, the Indians had scored only five runs in their previous 45 innings.

FALLING FASTER: After their quick start last year, the Indians didn’t drop back to the .500 mark until Aug. 3. 

STREAKY: Friday night’s win over Houston extended the Tribe’s winning streak to four games, matching their season high (April 13-17 & May 14-17). Unfortunately, it was followed by a five-game losing streak, their longest of the season and worst since dropping five straight last June.

A TELLING STATISTIC: Indians’ pitchers hit .286 (6 for 21) in interleague road games. Just a reminder: the Indians’ overall team batting average at this point is .249.

BACK TO REALITY: Since blasting the Yankees 10-2 and 22-4 in two of the first three games played at the new Yankee Stadium in April of 2009, the Indians are 2-10 in the Bronx.

A WORK-WEEK KIND OF TEAM: The Indians are 8-16 on Saturdays and Sunday, but 29-21 Monday through Friday.

VINNIE NO-RUNS: Until Wednesday afternoon, Vinnie Pestano had not allowed a run in the month of June, pitching 8.2 consecutive scoreless innings.

BACK BELOW .500: The Indians finished this year’s interleague play with a record of 8-10. A year ago they went 11-7, their first winning mark against National League teams since 2006.

TURNAROUND: In June, Ubaldo Jimenez posted an ERA of 2.78 and only 11 walks in 32.1 innings.

ROLLING RAGE: By striking out the side in order on Friday night, Chris Perez notched his fourth 1-2-3 inning in June and his 13th of the season.

LESS PATIENCE: After leading the league in walks through the first two months of the season, the Indians have dropped to fourth. 

SLUMPING SANTANA: Carlos Santana has not hit a home run since May 15. Since then, he’s hitting .170 with 9 RBI and his season batting average has dropped from .260 to .220.

A CASE OF THE MONDAYS: The opener to the Yankee series marked just the second time this season the Indians have lost on a Monday.

HITTING THE WALL: In his recent struggles, Jeanmar Gomez has established a trend of starting the game strong and then completely falling apart in the middle innings. Here’s a breakdown of four of his last five starts:

June 23 at Houston: Perfect through first four innings, then allowed five runs in the next two.

June 17 vs. Pittsburgh: First three innings scoreless, then allowed eight runs in next two.

June 6 at Detroit: Allowed one run in first three innings, then five in next two.

May 30 vs. Kansas City: First two innings scoreless, then allowed five runs in the next three.

 

A YEAR AGO: After 74 games in 2011, the Indians stood at 40-34, first place in the AL Central, a game ahead of Detroit.

 

PROGRESS REPORT:

The Indians are averaging 4.23 runs per game and allowing 4.92.

Batting average: .249 (10thth in AL)

Slugging percentage: .381 (11th in AL)

On-base percentage: .323 (5th in AL)

Walks: 262 (4th in AL)

Stolen bases: 54 (5th in AL)

Strikeouts: 479 (2nd-fewest in AL)

With runners in scoring position: .239 (152 for 637)

 

Team ERA: 4.62 (13th in AL)

Walks allowed: 258 (3rd-fewest in AL)

Strikeouts: 482 (3rd-fewest in AL)

Opponents with runners in scoring position: .300 (199 for 664)

Errors: 41 (5th-fewest in AL)

 

STARTING PITCHERS:

26-33, 4.64 ERA

(440.2 IP, 227 ER)

 

RELIEF PITCHERS:

11-4, 25 saves, 3 blown saves, 4.59 ERA

(223.1 IP, 114 ER)

 

INDIANS’ OVERALL RECORD IN GAMES STARTED BY:

Lowe 8-7 (11 quality starts)

Jimenez 8-7 (8 quality starts)

Tomlin 6-5 (5 quality starts)

Gomez 6-7 (4 quality starts)

Masterson 6-10 (10 quality starts)

McAllister 3-1 (2 quality starts)

 

INDIANS’ RECORD WHEN GETTING QUALITY START: 29-11

INDIANS’ RECORD WHEN NOT GETTING QUALITY START: 8-26

 

INDIANS’ RECORD BY UNIFORM:

White Script “Indians”: 11-7

Blue Script “Indians”: 14-12

Gray Block “Cleveland”: 7-9

Creamy white home alternate: 5-9

 

INDIANS’ RECORD BY CAP:

Chief Wahoo Cap: 25-19

Block C Blue Cap: 7-9

Block C Red Cap: 4-9

Red, White & Blue Block C Red Cap: 1-0

 

INDIANS’ RECORD BY DAY OF THE WEEK:

Sunday: 5-7

Monday: 5-2

Tuesday: 6-5

Wednesday: 5-7

Thursday: 5-4

Friday: 8-3

Saturday: 3-9

 

ATTENDANCE WATCH: Indians are averaging 18,408 fans per home game - 14th in the AL

 

HOUSTON SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Astros outscored the Indians, 15-4. The Indians committed one error. All of the runs scored in the series were earned.

 

Overall Hitting

Cleveland 15 for 90 (.167), 8 walks, 1 SF (.232 on-base percentage)

Houston 26 for 96 (.271), 7 walks (.320 on-base percentage)

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Cleveland 3 for 15 (.200), 14 left on base

Houston 9 for 26 (.346), 13 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Cleveland 4 (1 HR)

Houston 15 (5 HR)

 

Stolen Bases

Cleveland 0 (1 caught stealing)

Houston 1 (1 caught stealing)

 

Overall Pitching

Cleveland 25 IP, 26 H, 7 BB, 20 SO, 15 ER, 5.40 ERA

Houston 27 IP, 15 H, 8 BB, 21 SO, 4 ER, 1.33 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Cleveland 1-2; 19 IP, 18 H, 6 BB, 12 SO, 8 ER, 3.79 ERA

Houston 2-1; 23 IP, 12 H, 6 BB, 17 SO, 3 ER, 1.17 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Cleveland 1 save; 6 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 8 SO, 7 ER, 10.50 ERA 

Houston 4 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1 ER, 2.25 ERA

 

NEW YORK SERIES BY THE NUMBERS:

The Yankees outscored the Indians, 18-9. The Yankees committed one error. One of the Indians’ runs was unearned.

 

Overall Hitting

Cleveland 23 for 100 (.230), 6 walks, 1 SF (.271 on-base percentage)

New York 26 for 93 (.280), 10 walks, 2 HPB, 2 SF (.355 on-base percentage)

 

With Runners in Scoring Position

Cleveland 5 for 29 (.172), 18 left on base

New York 8 for 19 (.421), 17 left on base

 

Extra-Base Hits

Cleveland 6 (1 HR)

New York 9 (5 HR)

 

Stolen Bases

Cleveland 1 (1 caught stealing)

New York 1

 

Overall Pitching

Cleveland 24 IP, 26 H, 10 BB, 22 SO, 18 ER, 6.75 ERA

New York 27 IP, 23 H, 6 BB, 24 SO, 8 ER, 2.67 ERA

 

Starting Pitchers

Cleveland 0-3; 15 IP, 17 H, 9 BB, 12 SO, 14 ER, 8.40 ERA

New York 2-0; 19 IP, 14 H, 4 BB, 18 SO, 2 ER, 0.95 ERA

 

Relief Pitchers

Cleveland 9 IP, 9 H, 1 BB, 10 SO, 4 ER, 4.00 ERA

New York 1-0, 2 saves; 8 IP, 9 H, 2 BB, 6 SO, 6 ER, 6.75 ERA

 

UP NEXT: 

at Baltimore Orioles [41-33]

(Thursday 7:05 p.m.; Friday 7:05 p.m.; Saturday 4:05 p.m.; Sunday 1:35 p.m.)

Last year: Indians won season series, 5-2

 

Los Angeles Angeles [42-33]

(Monday 7:05 p.m.; Tuesday 7:05 p.m.; Wednesday 4:05 p.m.)

Last year: Angels won season series, 6-3

This year: Indians lead season series, 2-1

 

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