--Manager Eric Wedge says the Indians' eight-game trip to Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit that begins Monday will be crucial if the Indians are going to get back into the division race.
"This is what it's all about," said Wedge. "A lot of games within our division. This trip is going to make or break us. It's going to tell everyone what they want to know about our team, one way or another." --OF Grady Sizemore's home run Sunday was his 19th, tying him with Josh Hamilton for the American League lead. Sizemore has 50 career home runs at Progressive Field. Only four other players have 50 or more homers at Progressive Field: Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome and Travis Hafner.
--C Kelly Shoppach's RBI double Sunday drove in one of the Indians' five runs. Shoppach has hits in eight straight games, hitting .346 in that span, and 12 of his last 18 hits have been for extra bases.
--The Indians went 16 consecutive innings without scoring a run versus Reds pitching in their weekend series. The streak was snapped by a home run by Grady Sizemore in the sixth inning Sunday. In their losses Saturday and Sunday, Indians hitters were a combined 1-for-21 with runners in scoring position.
--LHP Aaron Laffey lasted five innings in his start Sunday, matching his shortest outing of the season.
BY THE NUMBERS: 36 -- The number of years it had been since Indians starting pitchers had struck out 10 or more batters in consecutive games, when LHP Cliff Lee and LHP C.C. Sabathia did it on June 27-28. The last time it had been done by Indians pitchers was by Gaylord Perry and Dick Tidrow in July of 1972.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "You've got to look at the games behind, not where you are in the standings." -- Manager Eric Wedge, after the Indians fell into last place in the AL Central.
