--RHP Rafael Betancourt is 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA in his last 11 appearances, dating to Aug. 13. He has held opposing batters to a .133 batting average in that span.
"He's using all of his pitches," manager Eric Wedge said. "His fastball is as good as we've seen it, and he's locating it and his other pitches. But the big thing is he's throwing all his pitches. He's not a one-dimensional pitcher anymore." --DH Travis Hafner (strained right shoulder) will resume his rehab assignment, which had been taking place at Class AAA Buffalo, with Class AA Akron on Friday in the Eastern League playoffs.
--RHP Jake Westbrook, who is already on the disabled list following Tommy John surgery earlier this season, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right hip Friday by hip specialist Thomas Byrd in Nashville. The surgery is to clean out Westbrook's hip joint.
--OF Matt LaPorta was 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs in Class AA Akron's 6-5 win over Bowie on Wednesday in the first game of their Eastern League semifinal playoff series.
--LHP Aaron Laffey is being shut down for the remainder of the season because of an inflamed left elbow.
BY THE NUMBERS: 17 -- Years since the Indians were swept at home in a three series by Seattle prior to the Mariners doing just that Aug. 29-31.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "No, that's something other people vote on. But I wish they could vote right now." -- LHP Cliff Lee, after a win that improved his record to 19-2, when asked if he had thought about his chances of winning the Cy Young Award.
Play FOX Fantasy Football Today >
