CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Indians completed a three-game sweep of the Reds on Wednesday night. They've won five straight and 10 of their last 12 games.

The sweep allowed them to retain the Ohio Cup for the third straight year. To the players on both teams it's not that big a deal. Some of them don't even know what it is. But still it's something, another trinket to help the long season go by a little bit faster.

Manager Terry Francona, tongue firmly planted in cheek, said after Wednesday night's 4-3 win at Great American Ball Park, "Well, we won the Governor's Cup (Ohio Cup). People will say that we haven't played a lot of big games (this year), but we're going home with that cup."

When Francona finished his postgame interview, he got up and told reporters, "I'm going to go drink some champagne out of the cup."

Champagne-soaked celebrations aside -- sarcasm alert -- two things did come out of the Indians' 5-1 trip through Chicago and Cincinnati. For one thing, the Indians' disabled list continues to be a crowded place.

Trevor Bauer and Edwin Encarnacion were placed on the DL during the trip, Bauer with a stress fracture of the right fibula and Encarnacion with a bruised right hand and strained left biceps. Encarnacion should be back when his 10 days are over. The Indians have not set a timetable on Bauer's return, but the remainder of the regular season, and perhaps the postseason, could be in jeopardy.

There was good news when the Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, said Monday that outfielder Leonys Martin showed signs of recovery from a life-threatening bacterial infection. From a baseball standpoint, however, it's unlikely Martin will play again this season, which leaves the Indians with a hole in center field.

"Injuries are things that are going to happen," said catcher Yan Gomes. "It's a really long season. The games are long. Things are going to happen.

"But one thing we don't do here is we don't sit and pout about an injury. That happens. If anything, it's like when personal things happen (to players or their families), it's definitely going to hit us. Guys tend to put it on their shoulders and carry us."

Corey Kluber always carries a big load for the Indians and it may increase with Bauer injured. This year the numbers suggest that the two-time Cy Young winner is doing things a bit differently.

Kluber is 15-6 with 2.68 ERA after 25 starts. Last season he was 15-4 with a 2.56 ERA after 25 starts on his way to winning his second Cy Young award. But that's where the similarities end.

sil·ly



/ˈsilē/



adjective



1. having or showing a lack of common sense or judgment when trying to hit off of Corey Kluber.



synonyms: foolish, imprudent, lol wut#CyKluber pic.twitter.com/0qTczljHpR — Cleveland Indians (@Indians) August 15, 2018

Last year Kluber had 235 strikeouts in 175 2/3 innings after 25 starts. This year he has 160 strikeouts in 168 innings. Last year he was at 2,544 pitches after 25 starts. This year he's thrown 2,421 pitches. So Kluber has proven to be just as effective for his team, while reducing his innings, strikeouts and pitches.

That's bodes well for those still wrestling with Kluber's two poor starts in the ALDS last year against the Yankees.

Kluber is 4-1 in his last five starts while throwing fewer than 100 pitches four times.

"It's nothing Tito and I have consciously talked about," said Kluber. "I would imagine if you looked at those games, the score is probably spread out a bit later ... when Tito has me come out of a game. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but it's nothing we set out to do."

Said Francona, "I think he's a really smart pitcher. I think he sees what's going on in the game. Different teams do different things, but you're seeing a lot of teams that want to make contact early. He's taking advantage of that.

"Kluber is staying off the barrel for the most part and getting early contact and having really quick innings. I think he prefers that. The only thing is he has to answer questions about his strikeouts. I know when he has a nine-pitch inning, he looks happy as hell to me."

"You are fast, Billy Hamilton ..."



*whispers*



"... but I am faster." - All-Star Yan Gomes, probably.#DontRunOnYan 🚷 pic.twitter.com/oroXM4FGlR — Cleveland Indians (@Indians) August 15, 2018

Gomes has been Kluber's primary catcher since 2013. When asked about Kluber's declining strikeouts and lower pitch counts he said, "It's just one of those things that guys are not letting him get to two strikes very often. When Corey tries to put guys away, they're throwing their bats (at the ball).

"I don't want to say that they're giving up at-bats, but it's one of the things where Corey gets through guys very quick," Gomes continued. "If guys are swinging early, he's going to go seven or eight innings and have 80 or 90 pitches. And that's what we would rather see instead of grinding through six innings to get 10-plus strikeouts."

The big test, of course, will come in the postseason.