Smoke signals

• Indians outfielder Michael Brantley entered Monday's game batting .284 with a team-high three home runs and 16 RBIs. Brantley was hitting .318 with runners in scoring position and ranked sixth in the Majors with a rate of one RBI per 4.19 at-bats.

"He has one of the most comfortable looking setups I've ever seen," Francona said. "He just bounces that bat on his shoulder and he gets himself into such a good hitting position so often. He's made a lot of hard outs, too, in this period. And I don't think it's a fluke. He gives himself a chance every at-bat."

• Entering Monday, Brantley and fellow Tribe outfielder David Murphy had combined for 12 of the 17 RBIs the club had collected over its past six games. The duo accounted for 18 of the Indians' 29 RBIs over the past seven games. Murphy headed into Monday ranked third in the Majors with a rate of one RBI per 3.47 at-bats.

• The Indians entered Monday as one of only four Major League teams (joining the Reds, Rockies and Padres) without at least one extra-inning game this season. Across the big leagues, there had been 29 extra-inning games so far this season.

• Indians lefty Josh Outman warmed up to the song "Let It Go" from the animated Disney movie "Frozen" during the sixth inning of Sunday's game against the Blue Jays. Outman said he is using the song right now because his 3-year-old daughter loves the movie.