Smoke signals

• Heading into Friday's game against the Twins, each of Cleveland's past 15 games had been decided by three or fewer runs. Four of the past six contests had been decided by one run. The Indians were a Major League-best 13-7 (.650 winning percentage) in games decided by one run. Over the past five years, the Tribe has the third-highest winning percentage (.556, 109-87) in one-run games.

• The Tribe headed into this series with the Twins with a 4-2 record on the nine-game homestand. Dating back to April 30, Cleveland had gone 20-8 at Progressive Field.

• The Indians Radio Network will have a pair of guest commentators alongside Jim Rosenhaus during this weekend's series against the Twins. Indians special assistant (and former pitching coach) Tim Belcher will fill in for Tom Hamilton, Cleveland's regular play-by-play voice, on Friday and Saturday. Indians special adviser (and former manager) Mike Hargrove will join Rosenhaus in the booth on Sunday.

• On Friday, the Indians signed a pair of players selected in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft earlier this month. Cleveland reached deals with third-round pick (79th overall) Dace Kime, a right-hander out of the University of Louisville, and seventh-rounder Kenny Mathews, a lefty out of Riverside City College (Calif.). The Tribe has now signed 18 of its 39 picks in this year's Draft.