Smoke signals

• Double-A Akron outfielder Carlos Moncrief has hit .303 with 14 home runs, 43 extra-base hits and 63 RBIs through 104 games this season. On the year, he has averaged one strikeout every 4.6 at-bats. Over the 2011-12 seasons, between stints with Class A (low) Lake County and Class A (high) Carolina, he hit .240 with one strikeout per 2.9 at-bats on average.

"You rarely see a young player cut his strikeouts down like that so quickly," said Ross Atkins, the Indians' vice president of player development. "In Carlos' case, he's always had a very good eye. He has a disciplined approach. I think he was taking a lot of strikes. Now, I think he's gotten a little more aggressive with putting the ball in play."

• Josh Tomlin (right elbow) worked the seventh inning for Class A (low) Lake County in a 3-2 win over Fort Wayne in his latest Minor League rehab appearance. Tomlin, who had one strikeout in the outing, has logged three shutout innings through three rehab games.

• Entering Friday's game against the Marlins, the Indians were riding a season-high eight-game winning streak. Over the course of those eight games, Cleveland had outscored its opponents, 50-21, while hitting .307 as a team. The Indians' pitching staff had a 2.28 ERA in that span.

• SportsTime Ohio reported that the telecasts for the first three games of Cleveland's series against the White Sox earlier this week each ranked in the top five ratings for all Indians games this season. Only Opening Day against Toronto and July 8 against Detroit drew better ratings.

• After activating Triple-A Columbus pitcher Boof Bonser from the seven-day disabled list on Friday, the Indians granted the right-hander his release. Bonser went 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA across 15 innings in three games for the Clippers.