After taking five of seven on a road trip to Texas and Chicago, the Indians hope to continue that momentum when they face the Reds on Friday as the two teams kick off the Ohio Cup series for this season.
The Tribe holds a 45-44 lead in the series but dropped three of four last season. Over the past nine seasons, the Indians have won the season series just once (2011) and have split four times. After having just four games the past two seasons, the two teams meet in a pair of weekend three-game series this year since the AL Central is facing the NL Central in interleague play.
In games at Progressive Field, the Indians have a 27-18 advantage and have won 10 of the last 11 against Cincinnati.
After this weekend, the series resumes July 17-19 at Great American Ball Park, which is the first series after the All-Star break.
Here are five memorable dates, in chronological order, for the Indians in the series.
July 10, 1999
The Indians trailed 9-4 after 4½ innings but would rally for an 11-10 win at Jacobs Field. With two out in the ninth and the Indians trailing 10-9, Omar Vizquel hit a two-run homer off Scott Williamson to right for the game winner.
The Vizquel homer was one of four by the Tribe in that game. Manny Ramirez had two, including a solo shot in the eighth to tie the game at nine.
June 11, 2004
With two outs and the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Lou Merloni walked on a full count from Phil Norton to bring home Casey Blake with the game-winning run of a 6-5 Indians' victory.
Norton retired the first two batters, but Blake singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Travis Hafner was walked on a full count and Ronnie Belliard got a free pass on four pitches. Merloni was brought in as a pinch-hitter for Ben Broussard.
June 27, 2008
C.C. Sabathia pitched eight shutout innings, allowed only four hits and struck out 11 as the Indians posted a 6-0 shutout.
Jamey Carroll went 3-for-4 as the Indians took control with a five-run sixth. The Indians had a five-run fourth that included a three-run shot by Cabrera.
June 19, 2012
Asdrubal Cabrera's two-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the bottom of the 10th rallied the Tribe past the Reds 3-2. It was the second straight one-run game that the Indians had won in the three-game set.
With one out, Shin Soo-Choo singled to right and then Cabrera hit a 3-1 Chapman fastball to right for the game-winner. The Reds took a 2-1 lead in the top of the inning when Chris Heisey scored on a Nick Hagadone wild pitch.
June 20, 2012
Justin Masterson has the only complete game victory by a Tribe hurler against the Reds.
The right-hander allowed a run, which was unearned, on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts in an 8-1 victory at Progressive Field. It marked the fourth complete game of Masterson’s career.
