CLEVELAND — How good was the Indians’ recent six-game homestand? According to manager Manny Acta, it was “Super fantastic.”
Yes, it was as good as it gets for the Indians, who swept Central Division rivals Kansas City and Detroit to complete the six-game homestand with a perfect 6-0 record.
The pair of sweeps gave the Indians five on the season after Cleveland recorded just four all of last year.
“I think guys believe that we can win,” first baseman Matt LaPorta said. “I don’t care what team you are, to go out and sweep a couple teams, that’s tough to do at any level you play at.”
The three-game sweep of the Tigers was an impressive one, with the Indians rallying from 2-0 deficits in all three of the wins.
“It does a lot for their confidence,” manager Manny Acta said. “Winning breeds confidence anyway, but the fact that we came back in each of those games, breeds even more confidence.”
After winning their 13th straight home game Sunday, the Indians leave the comfort of Progressive Field for a six-game west coast road swing that takes them through Oakland and Los Angeles.
“The expectations don’t change, try to win every game,” Acta said. “We know we have our work cut out for us. That being said, our guys are throwing the ball well and swinging the bat well.
“We’re going to try to take some food on the road from this home cooking.”
Still no Pronk
Designated hitter Travis Hafner missed his fourth straight game with a strained tendon in his right foot.
Hafner is available to pinch hit but is wearing a walking boot.
He is scheduled to be re-evaluated today with the Indians hopeful that he can return to the lineup Tuesday. If the examination is not a positive one, Hafner will most likely be headed to the disabled list.
Next up
The Indians are off today and on the west coast for the next six games, beginning a three-game series in Oakland on Tuesday night (10:07).
Fausto Carmona (2-3, 5.15 ERA) opens the set against the A’s, opposing RHP Tyson Ross (1-2, 2.76), while Josh Tomlin (4-0, 2.45) starts for Cleveland on Wednesday (10:07 p.m.) against RHP Trevor Cahill (4-0, 1.88).
Jeanmar Gomez (0-1, 6.23) starts the series finale Wednesday (3:37 p.m.), while Oakland counters with LHP Brett Anderson (2-1, 1.56).
Minor details
Luis Valbuena hit his fourth homer in Triple-A Columbus’ 6-0 victory over Charlotte on Saturday, the Clippers’ 10th straight win. Valbuena, who has played in 194 games for the Indians over the past two years, entered Sunday batting .300 with five doubles and 12 RBIs in 19 games. … Adam Miller’s season debut Saturday did not go well, the right-hander taking the loss in advanced Class A Kinston’s 4-0 loss to Binghamton after allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits (homer) and a walk in just one inning. It was the first professional appearance for Miller since 2008, with the Indians’ former top pitching prospect attempting to come back from multiple surgeries on his right middle finger. … Jason Smit continues to tear it up at Class A Lake County, where he was batting .372 through Saturday after a 3-for-4 performance in the Captains’ 4-1 victory over South Bend. Smit is an Australian-born minor league free agent acquisition (2006).
Roundin’ third
The Indians entered Sunday with the league lead in batting average (.272), runs (141) and on-base percentage (.344). … Of Shin-Soo Choo’s 15 RBIs through Saturday, seven of them had either tied the game or given the Indians the lead. Orlando Cabrera entered Sunday with similar numbers, six of his 16 RBIs tying the game of giving the Indians the advantage.
Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
