Indians Game Information for Monday, July 16

CLEVELAND INDIANS (45-43, 2nd, -4.0 G) vs. TAMPA BAY RAYS (46-43)
RHP Zach McAllister (3-1, 3.40) vs. RHP Alex Cobb (4-5, 4.89)
First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. (ET) at Tropicana Field
TV: STO  Radio: WTAM, Indians Radio Network
Series Notes:

THE STANDINGS: The Indians were shut out 3-0 by Toronto on Sunday afternoon and fell 4.0 games behind Chicago in the A.L. Central standings, as the White Sox edged the Royals 2-1 at Kauffman Stadium…the 4.0-game deficit is the largest faced by Cleveland at any point this season, as the Indians had been in first or 2nd place for 56 consecutive days prior to yesterday’s loss.

STRIKE FAST: The Indians have gone 21-8 in series openers overall this season (10-4 on the road), winning 6 of 8, 10 of 13 and 16 of their last 21 lid-lifters.

GONE STREAKING: MICHAEL BRANTLEY went 8-for-11 (.727) with 3 doubles in the weekend Toronto series and has now hit safely in 13 straight games at .460 (23-50) with 3 homers and 10 RBI, T2nd-longest active hit streak in the A.L. behind the Yankees’ ROBINSON CANO (18 games)…paired with his career-high 22-game streak from May 20-June 15, which still stands as the longest in the majors this season, Brantley is one of 2 A.L. players with multiple hit streaks of 13+ games this season, joining the Twins’ JOSH WILLINGHAM (2, 15 games each)…LOU MARSON also enters this series vs. the Rays with a career-high 9-game hit streak at .412 (14-34).

ANOTHER SWIM WITH THE RAYS: Cleveland is set to meet Tampa Bay for the 2nd time in a little more than a week, as the two clubs also closed out the season’s first “half” with a 3-game series at Progressive Field…the Indians enter tonight’s series here in Tampa Bay with a 71-44 record all-time against the Rays, including a 29-26 mark at Tropicana Field…this marks the first return trip to Tropicana Field for JOHNNY DAMON and CASEY KOTCHMAN, who were both members of the Rays last season…TRAVIS HAFNER has a .361 (30-83) avg., 9 HR and 20 RBI in 23 career games at Tropicana Field.

TURF WARS: Cleveland is set to begin the club’s 2nd consecutive and final series of the season on artificial turf…club went 3-3 on turf last season, but is 20-31 (.396) over the past 5 seasons (2008-12)…last winning season on turf was 2007 (12-6).