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08/28/2008 4:14 PM ET
Smoke signals
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STREAKING: The Indians have currently won 10-straight games heading into tomorrow night's contest against the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 p.m. ET in Progressive Field... The 10-game winning streak is the longest of the season for the Tribe and longest since posting 10-consecutive wins April 3-13 of 2002... The last time the Indians have won 11-straight was May 23-June 4 of 1982 with the club record being 13 straight games set in both 1942 and 1951... The 10-game winning streak is also tied for the longest in the Majors this season as the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets also won 10-straight earlier this season.
STREAK BY THE NUMBERS: During the 10-game winning streak, the Indians are batting .289 (100-346) with 15 doubles, three triples, 20HR and 73 runs scored (7.3RS/G)... The pitching staff meanwhile has posted a 3.96 ERA (91.0IP, 91H, 44R/40ER) with the starters going 6-0 with a 3.90 ERA (62.1IP, 65H, 27ER) and the bullpen posting a 4.08 ERA (28.2IP, 26H, 13ER).
BEST RECORDS IN AL SINCE JULY 10
1.CLEVELAND : 28 - 14, .667
2. LA Angels : 26 - 15, .634
3. Tampa Bay : 25 - 16, .610
4. Minnesota : 25 - 17, .595
5. Toronto : 24 - 17, .585
RED HOT TRIBE: In addition to their 10-game winning streak, the Indians have also now won 16 of their last 19 games since Aug. 8th and since July 10th, the Indians own the best record in the American League as they have gone 28-14 (.667)... Indians have also have now won 9-straight road games as they have swept each of their last three road series... The 9-game road winning streak is their longest since winning nine straight July 31-Aug. 23 of 2005.
STRANGE BUT TRUE: This year, the Indians have now posted both a 10-game winning streak and also a 10-game losing streak as they lost 10-straight June 28-July 9... According to STATS INC, since 1900 there have been just 21 total occurrences in which a team has won both 10 or more straight games and lost 10 or more straight games in the same season... The last team to do so was the Tampa Bay Devil Rays(won 12, lost 12) in 2004... This marks the third time ever the Indians have won 10 straight and lost 10 straight in the same season as they have also done so in both 1931 and 1979... The Indians are the only franchise to have done this three times.
NO TV SATURDAY: The Tribe's game on Saturday, Aug. 30th will not be televised and will be a WTAM and the Indians Radio Network exclusive broadcast... First pitch is slated for 3:55 p.m. ET.
REPLAY IN EFFECT: Beginning tomorrow night in Progressive Field, instant replay can be used on home run calls only-whether they are fair or foul, whether they have left the playing field, or whether they have been subject to fan interference... The decision to use instant replay will be made by the umpire crew chief, who will also make the determination as to whether or not a call should be reversed.
MLB PITCHERS TO START AT LEAST 19-2 (since 1920, stats llc)
CLIFF LEE, CLE, 2008 : 19-2
Roger Clemens, NYY, 2001 : 20-1
Greg Maddux, Atl, 1995 : 19-2
Ron Guidry, NYY, 1978 : 19-2
Gaylord Perry, SF, 1966 : 19-2
Whitey Ford, NYY, 1961 : 19-2
Preacher Roe, Bro, 1951 : 19-2
Lefty Grove, Phi, 1931 : 19-2
CLIFF NOTES: Indians LHP CLIFF LEE is currently 19-2 with a 2.43 ERA on the year... He leads the Majors in ERA (2.43) and is tied with Arizona's Brandon Webb for the Major League lead in wins with 19... The last Indian to lead the AL in wins was Gaylord Perry (24) in 1972 and the last Indian to lead the AL in ERA was Kevin Millwood (2.86) in 2005... On Monday, Lee will look to earn his 20th win of the season against the Chicago White Sox... The last 20-game winner for the Indians was Gaylord Perry (21-13) in 1974... The last Major League pitcher to start 19-2 or better was ROGER CLEMENS (20-1) in 2001 with the New York Yankees... Lee is just the 8th pitcher since 1920 to win 19 of his first 21 decisions and the 1st Indian ever to start a season by winning 19 of his first 21 decisions (STATS INC.).
MOST WINS BY AN INDIAN THROUGH 8/31 (since 1954, stats llc)
BOB LEMON : 20, 1954
CLIFF LEE : 19, 2008
Early Wynn : 19, 1954
Sam McDowell : 19, 1970
Gaylord Perry : 19, 1972
Dick Donovan : 18, 1962
Luis Tiant : 18, 1968
MORE CLIFF: Lee has now won each of his last eight decisions as he is 8-0 with a 2.43 ERA (66.2IP, 68H, 18ER) since July 11th... His eight-game winning streak is tied with Daisuke Matsuzaka for the longest winning streak in the American League this year... During the month of August Lee went 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA (38.2IP, 36H, 8ER) in five starts and in eight second-half starts thus far is 7-0 with a 2.67 ERA (60.2IP, 63H, 18ER)... Lee is just the fifth Indians pitcher since 1954 to win 19 or more games before Sept. 1st (STATS INC)... Lee also ranks second in the AL in innings pitched (185.1), Tsecond in complete games (3) and Tseventh in strikeouts (145)... He has allowed two or fewer runs in 20 of his 26 starts and has pitched at least 5.0 innings in all 26 starts... Lee is on pace to win 23 games which would equal Vean Gregg (23 in 1911) for the most single season wins by a left-handed pitcher in club history.
GREAT GRADY: Indians CF GRADY SIZEMORE hit is 30th and 31st home runs of the season on Monday in Detroit as he became just the 10th player in American League history (done 14 times) to hit 30HR and steal 30 bases in the same season... The last player to do so was Alfonso Soriano for Texas in 2005... Sizemore is also just the second Indian in franchise history to achieve the 30/30 mark as Joe Carter also did it in 1987... Overall, he is just the 32nd player (52nd time) in MLB history with 30/30... Sizemore currently ranks third in the AL in home runs (31) and fourth in the league in stolen bases (34) as he is on pace to hit 38 homers and steal 42 bases... He also has now driven in 83 runs which is T9th in the AL... Grady is now on pace to drive in 102 runs... The ONLY PLAYER in MLB history to drive in 100 runs out of the leadoff spot was Darin ERSTAD (100) in 2000 for the Angels (courtesy ELIAS SportsBureau)... Sizemore has driven in 15 runs in his last 10 games and has 20RBI during the month of August, which is T12th most in the AL... Grady has also been successful in each of his last 15 stolen base attempts and 27 of his last 28... The last time he was caught stealing was July 1st at Chicago.
GARKO GOING GOOD: 1B RYAN GARKO has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games batting .340 (16-47) with 3 doubles, 2HR and 14RBI... During the month of August he is batting .307 (27-88) with five doubles, two HR and 20RBI in 24 games... His 20RBI during the month of August are T12th in the AL for the month... Garko has now driven in a run in 15 of his last 18 games as he has 20RBI over the span.
CHOO CHOO TRAIN: OF SHIN-SOO CHOO has been swinging the bat well as of late as he is batting .297 (11-37) with four doubles, a triple, three HR and nine RBI over his last 10 games... Since Aug. 5th, he is batting .328 (22-67) with nine doubles, a triple, three HR and 13RBI as he has reached base safely in all 18 games.
NOT A BACK-UP: Since taking over for the injured Victor Martinez on June 12th, CA KELLY SHOPPACH has hit .279 (56-201) with 17 doubles, 14HR and 39RBI in 58 games while owning a .572 slugging percentage and a .929 OPS... On the year he has now belted 17HR which is third most among all MLB catchers... Shoppach has homered in two straight games, has three HR in his last five games and has five HR in his last seven games... His 10HR since the All-Star break are Tseventh most in the American League.
TURNING IT AROUND: Indians reliever RHP RAFAEL BETANCOURT has not allowed a run in his last 10.1 innings of work (8G, 4H, 0R, 4BB, 7K)... In fact, since July 1st 15 of his last 18 appearances are scoreless as he has posted a 3.43 ERA (21.0IP, 15H, 8RE, 7BB, 17K) lowering his season ERA from 6.03 to 5.15.
CLOSING IT OUT: RHP JENSEN LEWIS is a perfect 7 for 7 in save situations as the closer since Aug. 8th... Lewis has posted a 1.84 ERA and has allowed just four runs/three earned in his last 14.2 innings (9H, 3BB, 12K) since July 29th as 11 of his 13 appearances are scoreless.
UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHERS:
Fri., Aug. 29 vs. Seattle (7:05 p.m. ET, WTAM/IRN, STO)
LHP Jeremy Sowers (2-6, 5.95) vs. RHP Felix Hernandez (8-8, 3.28)
Sat., Aug. 30 vs. Seattle (3:55 p.m. ET, WTAM/IRN, NO TV)
RHP Anthony Reyes (2-1, 2.22) vs. LHP Jarrod Washburn (5-14, 4.93)
Sun., Aug. 31 vs. Seattle (1:05 p.m. ET, WTAM/IRN, WKYC-TV3)
LHP Zach Jackson (0-0, 4.91) vs. LH Ryan Rowland-Smith (2-2, 3.84)
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