CLEVELAND — Baltimore beat Detroit on Sunday to trim Cleveland’s deficit to 2½ games in the Central Division standings, but the weather sure isn’t doing the Indians any favors these days.

Rain postponed another game at Progressive Field, ruining the series finale with Minnesota and the opportunity for Cleveland to record the three-game sweep of the Twins, while gaining even more ground on the Tigers.

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The Indians were at least on the positive side of getting that done, leading the Twins 1-0 on a Shin-Soo Choo single, and with starting pitcher David Huff yet to allow a baserunner (four strikeouts), when rain halted the start of the third inning.

Following a 2:55 delay, the game was postponed.

“The only thing that’s worse (than the rainout) is the amount of games we’re piling up toward the end of the season,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “I know we’re going to have a full house with the September call-ups, and with Grady (Sizemore) back, but that’s still the most disappointing thing to us.”

A host of rainouts at Progressive Field has put a scheduling crunch on the contending Indians, who, provided their regular season finishes in 162 games, will play 45 times over the final 44 days, beginning Tuesday against the White Sox in Chicago.

Cleveland’s schedule is especially brutal at the end of the final month of the season, when the Indians play nine times in seven days before finishing the year with what could be a pivotal three-game series in Detroit.

The nine-game trek begins with a makeup game against Seattle on Sept. 19, followed by the second of the Indians’ three home doubleheaders over the remainder of the season on Sept. 20 to kick off a four-game series against the White Sox.

The postponed game Sunday is expected to be made up as a doubleheader during a four-game series (Sept. 23-25) against the Twins to wrap up the week.

Cleveland’s first of the three doubleheaders is scheduled for Aug. 23 against Seattle.

Acta isn’t planning any new approach for the tough stretch, other than giving position players some days off. With the Indians in a pennant race, he said he would not consider employing a six-man rotation.

“In the situation we’re in, I think we have to have our best guys go as many times as possible,” Acta said.

Huff will remain in the rotation for at least another start, Saturday against the Tigers in Detroit. Then the Indians will have to decide between him and Carlos Carrasco, who is on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation and still needs to serve a six-game suspension.

Huff has pitched well in a brief stint this season, going 1-1 with a 0.51 ERA in three starts. He was looking good again Sunday before the rains came.

“We’ve been very encouraged by the way he’s throwing the ball,” Acta said. “Every one of his pitches are better. It would have been nice to see him continue to pitch (Sunday).”

Though he is pitching well, it’s been a bit of a frustrating big league experience for Huff this year. He has had two starts rained out and was on the losing end of Ervin Santana’s no-hitter for the Angels on July 27.

“It’s one of those things you can’t control,” Huff said. “It (stinks) but, oh, well. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

The Indians’ focus will now shift from rain and scheduling nightmares to staying in the division race during their upcoming six-game road trip that takes them through Chicago and Detroit. The third-place White Sox trail the Indians by 1½ games.

“It’s very important but we can’t forget there’s a month and a half of the season left,” Acta said. “But it’s extremely important because we’re playing the two teams that are closest to us (in the standings).”

“It’s big,” Huff said. “We’re going to Chicago and Detroit. We need to get some wins there.”

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

ELYRIA — The State Highway Patrol has identified the man whose body was found hanging near the turnpike and Gulf Road yesterday.

The body of Michael T. Edgell, 47, of Elyria, was found was found hanging by his belt from a fence by a motorcyclist who had stopped to get out of the rain.

According to Lt. Judy Neel of the State Highway Patrol, the patrol is “pretty sure it was suicide” but is awaiting an official decision from the coroner.

The body was found “partially decomposed” and near a fence and an overpass, according to the Highway Patrol.

Neel couldn’t say for sure how long Edgell’s body had been there, but said “it’s more than a few days and less than a few weeks.”

Neel said no missing persons report had been filed on Edgell.

Firefighters were on the scene at 2504 Reid Ave. this morning.

LORAIN — A fire pretty much completely damaged a home at West 25th Street and Reid Avenue this morning, according to Fire Capt. Jeffrey Fenn.

The home, a pink house on the southwest corner of the intersection at 2504 Reid, had damage to the entire structure. The fire was reported about 7:20 a.m.

No one was hurt, according to Fenn, and neighbors said the home had been vacant.

Fenn said the 2 1/2-story home will likely be considered a total loss because it was valued at only $10,000, and repairs will likely come close to that amount or exceed it.

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Fenn said a cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and the department’s Fire Prevention Bureau is investigating.

Check back at Chroniclet.com for more on this story as it becomes available.

CLEVELAND — David Huff was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to start Sunday’s postponed series finale with Minnesota, and as was expected, the left-hander replaced a position player on the roster — outfielder Shelley Duncan.

Duncan, who is hitting .246 with four home runs and 23 RBIs in 43 games, was optioned back to Columbus. He has been up and down between the majors and minors all season, and could be back with the Indians again soon.

Outfielder Michael Brantley is in jeopardy of landing on the disabled list thanks to a lingering right wrist injury and Duncan could be recalled before his required 10-day stay in the minors if Brantley is placed on the injured list.

Brantley has been out of the lineup for the past five games, including Sunday’s rainout. He is scheduled to be examined Tuesday when the Indians open a three-game series against the White Sox in Chicago.

Manager Manny Acta said if Brantley was not given clearance Tuesday, it was likely a DL situation.

If Brantley is sidelined, the Indians could choose to promote outfielder Travis Buck, but Duncan is the likely candidate. Buck has already cleared waivers once to return the Indians and would have to do it again.

Kip-nicked

Had the Indians played Sunday, rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis would have missed his second straight game with what the Indians are calling right side soreness.

Acta said Kipnis sustained the injury from “all the diving and running around” in a 13-inning, 3-2 win over the Tigers on Tuesday.

Kipnis wore tape on his side in the clubhouse Sunday, but was confident he could play after an off day today.

Losing Kipnis for an extended spell would be a blow to an already inconsistent Cleveland offense. He’s hitting .279 with six home runs and 11 RBIs in 18 games, and has been extremely productive as of late after a slow start to his big league career.

Next up

The Indians are off today, beginning their three-game series against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday at 8:10 p.m.

Ubaldo Jimenez (7-9, 4.37 ERA) opens the set for Cleveland, opposing RHP Gavin Floyd (10-10, 4.53), while Fausto Carmona (5-12, 5.12) starts Wednesday (8:10) against LHP Mark Buehrle (10-5, 3.06).

Justin Masterson (9-7, 2.69) starts the series finale Thursday (8:10), while the White Sox counter RHP Phil Humber (8-8, 3.67).

The Indians have lost six of seven games to the White Sox this season, including both at Chicago.

Not in this house

The postponement dashed the Indians’ all-time home run leader Jim Thome’s final chance of the series to hit his career 600th homer in Cleveland, where he broke into the big leagues and played from 1991-2002.

Thome started the first two games and went 0-for-5 with a pair of walks, hitting the ball out of the infield just once.

Provided he hasn’t accomplished the milestone yet, he will get another opportunity to do it in front of his former hometown fans when the Twins make their final trip to Cleveland on Sept. 23-25.

Thome, who has nine homers in 181 at-bats this season, has 20 in his career against the Indians.

Minor details

• Columbus overcame a rough outing for Mitch Talbot (six runs on six hits over two innings) to beat Rochester 11-7 Saturday. Clippers third baseman Jared Goedert went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles, three runs and two RBIs, while center fielder Tim Fedroff went 3-for-5 with two doubles and five RBIs.
• High-A Kinston DH Jeremie Tice went 2-for-5 with his ninth homer, two runs and two RBIs Saturday in a 9-7 victory (13 innings) over Salem.

Roundin’ third

• The Indians are batting .266 and averaging 4.86 runs over their last 14 games. Cleveland has recorded 10 or more hits in eight of those games, while hitting homers in 12 of them.
• Hall of Famer and former Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Contact Chris Assenheimer at 329-7136 or cassenheimer@chroniclet.com. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.