Nick Swisher's grand slam with two out in the 10th give the Indians their sixth walk-off victory of the season. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Thursday did not begin well for Nick Swisher.

It took him nearly 50 minutes to drive from the West Side to Progressive Field for a 12:05 p.m. game because of rain and a snarl of traffic. Once the game started, Swisher struck out three straight times before hitting a fly ball to center that he thought was a game-winning two-run homer, but was reduced to a pedestrian out by the wind.

"Just a horrible day," said Swisher.

It looked like things were going to turn worse in the 10^th inning when Swisher came to the plate with the bases loaded, two out and the Indians trailing the Angels, 3-1. Closer Ernesto Frieri relieved Cam Bedrosian and retired David Murphy on a fly ball to left field and jumped ahead of Swisher 1-2. It was the last time Frieri jumped ahead of anybody as Swisher lined his next pitch just over the right field wall for a game-winning grand slam and a 5-3 victory.

"It just goes to show you how one at-bat can turn your whole day around," said Swisher.

It was the Indians' sixth walk-off victory of the season and their ninth walk-off grand slam since Progressive Field open in 1994. Travis Hafner hit the last one on July 7, 2011 against Toronto.

"This is my first walk-off grand slam, so I'm a little giddy right now," said Swisher.

The Indians took two out of three from the Angels in this rain-shortened series. They've won 12 of their last 13 home games and own a 23-12 record at Progressive Field.

The 10^th started with Albert Pujols beating the Indians' infield shift with a two-run, two-out single through vacated second base position to give the Angels a 3-1 lead against Scott Atchison. The Indians placed three infielders on the left side of the infield against the right-handed hitting Pujols before he bounced a 3-2 pitch into right field.

"It's hard to see the ball go through the infield like that, but we'd do the same thing in that situation," said Francona.

Bedrosian started the 10^th by walking Michael Bourn. He struck out Asdrubal Cabrera, but Jason Kipnis reached on a hustle double to left center with Bourn stopping at third. After Carlos Santana walked for the third time in the game to load the bases, Frieri, the Angels' hot-and-cold closer, relieved.

The Indians have the walk-off mojo on their side with 74 walk-off wins at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. How strong is the vibe?

"I just assumed Murphy was going to do it," said Swisher with a laugh.

Murphy didn't, but Swisher did.

Earlier in the series, Frieri came after Swisher with nothing but sliders. He challenged him with fastballs Thursday.

"A lot of times where Swish gets in trouble is that he takes a fastball and swings at the breaking ball," said manager Terry Francona. "He was ready for a fastball, took a good swing. Then he got another one and was on time."

Swisher is still hitting only .200 (42-for-210) with 12 doubles, five homers and 24 RBI.

"Somebody asked me a couple of days ago how Swisher is hitting," said Francona. "I told them he's not getting a lot of hits, but the ones he does get are huge."

Swisher's slam was his second game-winning homer in extra innings in the last five days. On Sunday, he broke a 2-2 tie at Fenway Park with a leadoff homer in the 11^th inning to give the Tribe a 3-2 victory.

Justin Masterson went seven innings after lasting just two in his last start. He left with the score tied, 1-1, after dueling left-hander C.J. Wilson to a standstill.

Masterson threw a season-high 116 pitches, while allowing four hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Wilson allowed one run on three hits in 114 pitches. He struck out six and walked four.

Rookie Kyle Crockett, who relieved Atchison after Pujols' single, earned his first big-league victory as he retired Josh Hamilton. It was the only batter he faced.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the second when Howie Kendrick scored on a two-out wild pitch. Masterson is ranked third in the AL with nine wild pitches and tied for second with nine hit batsmen.

The Indians tied it in the third as Yan Gomes scored from third on Bourn's ground out to first. It was Bourn's fifth career RBI against Wilson.

"My take is we got the job done," said Masterson. "My teammates were fighting for me. They just kept working and at the tail end of it --- ooooh!"

Masterson was especially impressed with two double plays in the early innings.

After Masterson walked Hamilton and Erick Aybar to start the fourth, Kendrick sent a liner to right than nearly handcuffed Ryan Raburn. He caught it and threw to second to double off Hamilton.

In the fifth, following a leadoff single to by David Freese, Santana made a nice stop on Hank Conger's grounder at first to start a double play.

Former Ohio State guard Scoonie Penn, who played for David Blatt in Europe, says the new Cavs coach will bring a fast-paced tempo to the team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers hire of David Blatt as head coach does not come without some heavy criticism despite a 20-year European coaching career that included a championship and a bronze medal for the Russian national team in the London Olympics.

That all sounds good, but he does not have one second of experience in the NBA.

But unless Blatt somehow changed his coaching philosophy, former Ohio State guard Scoonie Penn likes the move.

"I'm happy for him," Penn said Friday. "I like the kind of guy he is. David's good for Cleveland. I hope it works."

Penn was the starting point guard for Blatt's team in Turkey. It was a team loaded with American players such as Penn, Kenny Gregory (Kansas), Loren Wood (Arizona) and Andre Hutson (Michigan State).

Coaching NBA players will not become a major adjustment.

"Coming from Europe to the NBA will be a little different because of the style, but David will be able to make adjustments," Penn said. "David doesn't have NBA experience, but neither did Brad Stevens, who went from Butler to the Celtics. Plus, look how the Spurs played. That's more of a European style. It's a recipe that works."

Blatt's formula of high energy play is orchestrated by the point guard controlling the tempo. It's an offense where the point guard will push the ball and if the team can't get a quick or easy basket, the ball will move around and set up a pick and roll with the point guard.

Penn says many NBA coaches want their point guards in control, but Blatt wants that more than others.

"He wants his point guard to be more than just a scorer," Penn said. "He wants him to be a facilitator. David wants toughness out of his players. He wants them to attack, also on defense. Kyrie Irving has the ability to do that."

The Indians, fresh off a walk-off win against the Los Angeles Angels, open their series with the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians, fresh off a walk-off win against the Los Angeles Angels, open their series with the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

It's the third series between the two teams this year. Last year, the Tigers dominated the Tribe en route to the AL Central division title, but this year things have been different, with the Indians having taken four of the first five meetings between the two teams.

Corey Kluber will open up the series. Kluber, who is 6-4 with a 3.35 ERA, went seven innings, allowing three earned runs in a meeting between the two teams in May.

Manager Terry Francona talked about the growing confidence in Kluber and the adjustments Kluber's had to make as a pitcher. Francona also gave an update on Michael Brantley and why the Indians decided to bring Vinnie Pestano back to the bullpen.

Watch as Omar Vizquel talks about being inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame and the championship teams of the 1990’s.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- "I'm glad I'm a Cleveland Indians Hall of Famer now," said former shortstop Omar Vizquel as he talked with the media before Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers.

The 11-time Gold Glove winner will be inducted before Saturday's game and is the Hall's 40th member.  He will have a permanent place in Heritage Park behind the center field wall at Progressive Field.

Vizquel is currently the all-time Major League leader at shortstop in fielding percentage (.985), double plays turned (1,735) and games played (2,709).

In 1993, General Manager John Hart traded Felix Fermin, Reggie Jefferson and cash to Seattle for Vizquel.

The three-time All-Star played 11 seasons with the Tribe (1994-2004).  The Indians won the American League Championships in 1995 and 1997.

Other members of the team from the 1990's to be inducted into the club's Hall are Charles Nagy, Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Sandy Alomar and Manager Mike Hargrove.

Vizquel is now first base coach for the Tigers.

On Twitter: @CLEvideos

Get scoring updates and analysis as the Indians take on the Padres at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians late-game rally fell short on Friday night against the Detroit Tigers, losing 6-4 in front of more than 33,000 fans.

Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana homered for the Indians, but with two outs and Michael Brantley - who pinch-hit for Mike Aviles in the 9th inning - on second base, Michael Bourn struck out against Joe Nathan to end the game. 

Scoring Summary

9th inning: Carlos Carrasco pitching. Ian Kinsler hits an RBI double, scoring Rajai Davis, who led off the inning with a double of his own. Tigers 6, Tribe 4. 

8th inning: Ian Krol pitching for Detroit. Asdrubal Cabrera with a three-run home run to left field, scoring Mike Aviles and Michael Bourn. Carlos Santana followed two batters later with a homer of his own - a solo shot to left. Tigers 5, Tribe 4. 

8th inning: John Axford pitching. J.D. Martinez blasts a three-run home run to right field, scoring Cabrera and Victor Martinez. Tigers 5, Tribe 0. 

4th inning: Victor Martinez hits a two-run homer off Corey Kluber, scoring Miguel Cabrera, who led off the inning with a single. Tigers 2, Tribe 0. 

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Browns Joe Haden had some sage advice for rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel: tell your friends to put their phones away when you're out.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns cornerback Joe Haden has some advice for quarterback Johnny Manziel heading into the summer break: tell your pals to put their phones away when you're out.

"I just really think Johnny needs to maybe check his friends a little bit," Haden told Browns radio partner WKNR-AM Friday. "Everybody's going to go out, everybody's going to have a good time. But you've got to make sure when you're with your people it just doesn't get out.

"You need to have a phone valet. Tell your friends 'put your phones away.' We're going to go out and have a good time and just don't record what you're doing."

Since the night Manziel was drafted, he's been on Instagram or Twitter drinking a magnum of champagne, spraying champagne in a club, floating on a swan with a big bottle of something, napping under a table at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere and shouting an f-bomb into his ''money phone.''

Haden said last week at minicamp,  "Johnny is a grown man. He's doing his thing. When he's out here, he's on the field. When he's doing our job, he's in these walls being a rookie and doing the best he can do. He's been a great teammate. People are on him a little more because whatever he does is blown out of proportion.''

But Haden stressed in the radio interview that Manziel has to learn to keep things on the down-low.

"Everybody has fun, trust me," Haden said. "Everybody does. But everybody's not Johnny Football. So I think you're kind of like 'C'mon Johnny, you represent. You're going to have a good time for sure, nobody has a problem with it. But just try to have fun without the whole world knowing.'"

"Ohio State has always been a great program, and they are ranked high in the preseason rankings right now, so that's a good thing," Gustin said. "Urban Meyer is a great coach and Ohio State is always going to have great football."

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Utah isn't necessarily known as a hotbed for top high school football talent. But if you can play, they'll find you. 

And Ohio State found Porter Gustin of Salem (Utah) Hills, a four-star prospect rated by Rivals.com the No. 7 outside linebacker in the 2015 class. 

Here is the hard part for Ohio State - convincing Gustin to come to Columbus. 

Urban Meyer is off to a good start. 

"Ohio State has always been a great program, and they are ranked high in the preseason rankings right now, so that's a good thing," Gustin told cleveland.com in a phone interview Thursday evening. "Urban Meyer is a great coach and Ohio State is always going to have great football. 

"I haven't been out there to visit yet, but I have heard nothing but good things about it and I am excited to get up there. I'm definitely interested."

A 6-foot-5, 237-pound prospect, Gustin racked up close to 40 scholarship offers. He says no program is eliminated, but five programs are currently standing out – Ohio State, Notre Dame, Arizona State, USC and UCLA. 

Gustin doesn't anticipate making a commitment until after he takes all five of his official visits, and one will likely be Ohio State. 

He hasn't yet scheduled a visit to Columbus, but he's fairly certain he'll see Columbus before making a college decision. 

"I don't have a visit to Ohio State planned, but I'm almost positive I am going to take a visit up there at some point," Gustin said. "I plan on getting out to visit all of those five schools, either unofficially or officially.

"I just want to go out and see some games, meet more of the coaches and getting more feels for the environments before I make a decision." 

Ohio State recently accepted an oral commitment from linebacker Nick Conner of Dublin (Ohio) Scioto, but the Buckeyes are interested in adding more. Their top targets right now are Cincinati St. Xavier's Justin Hilliard and Benedictine's Jerome Baker, but Gustin is also in that mix. 

Gustin said he speaks with Ohio State's coaches on Twitter regularly and has been personally recruited by Meyer, something he said has been a lifelong goal. 

"It's a dream come true because I was looking up to guys like (Meyer) since I was a little kid," he said, "so getting recruited by a guy like him is something I've dreamed about." 

With a pair of upcoming off-days, the Indians can afford to get by with a four-man starting rotation. The club doesn't need a fifth starter until July 1.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With a pair of upcoming off-days, the Indians can afford to get by with a four-man starting rotation. The club doesn't need a fifth starter until July 1.

That prompted the team's decision to option Zach McAllister to Triple-A Columbus and recall reliever Vinnie Pestano. The Indians have off-days on Monday and Thursday. They begin a three-city, West Coast road trip on Tuesday.

Manager Terry Francona wouldn't commit to naming McAllister the fifth starter when the team inevitably needs the extra arm, but the right-hander will be on a regular rotation that would place him in that slot.

Pestano gives the Indians a nine-man bullpen. He logged a 1.78 ERA in 25 relief outings for the Clippers, as he racked up 13 consecutive scoreless appearances prior to his promotion. At Triple-A, he limited right-handed hitters to a .125 batting average (7-for-56). Francona suggested that Pestano's velocity has increased "a tick or two."

"From all the reports, the finish on his pitches has been more consistent," Francona said. ... "He's back to dominating a lot of right-handed hitters. It's been at Triple-A, but a lot of swing and miss on his pitches, especially against right-handers."

Pestano surrendered six runs (four earned) on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings in three outings with the Tribe at the outset of the season. He spent his time in Columbus refining his mechanics.

"We started dissecting everything and really trying to figure out what the problems were, and it ended up being more than a couple," Pestano said. "You can't work on a bunch of different mechanical issues at once, so I kind of had to work on one and, when one felt like it was place, I worked on another. When that felt like it was in place, I'd go on to the next thing and the next thing.

"Now, I've just gotten to a point where I'm back to being comfortable on the mound. I don't have to think about what my arm is doing here, what my legs are doing, and stuff like that. It's been nice to go out there and be able to pitch without worrying about other things."

Pestano said he worked on his hand placement, timing, balance and more.

"I wouldn't have been able to do all those things up here," he said. "You're not afforded that luxury. That's why, when you're up here, you're up here for a reason. It's because you don't have a lot of stuff to work on."

Smooth sailing: Francona had hoped to pencil Michael Brantley's name into Saturday's starting lineup. The left fielder, however, progressed so well that he was able to pinch-hit in the ninth inning of Friday's affair. Brantley, suffering from a mild concussion, ran the bases at full speed and took batting practice on the field prior to the series opener against Detroit. After taking batting practice, Brantley said he felt no ill effects and was ready to go.

The left fielder's head collided with the knee of Angels infielder John McDonald while Brantley was sliding into second base in an attempt to break up a double play on Monday.

Hot corner: Lonnie Chisenhall entered Friday's action 13 plate appearances shy of qualifying for the batting title. The third baseman's .367 average would trump that of all other major leaguers. Francona said he thinks people forget that Chisenhall, in his fourth big league season, is only 25 years old.

"I think people do. I don't think we have," Francona said. "He's been around. There have been some injuries in there where he's missed time and had his development interrupted. I think Lonnie has made a noticeable adjustment in how he comes to the ballpark. It's for the better and it's made him a better player."

Francona prefers not to estimate what Chisenhall's ceiling might be.

"You don't know. That's kind of the fun part about younger players," Francona said. "You don't really know what they're going to turn into. You hate to put something on somebody and try to turn them into something they're not. Just let them play and whatever they grow into -- you just never know. When guys get confident, sometimes they surpass expectations. That gets exciting."

Making them count: Nick Swisher has struggled since his return from the disabled list, but Francona has appreciated the few hits he has provided. Two of his first three hits since being activated were game-winning home runs.

"The hits he has gotten have been huge," Francona said. "There haven't been a ton of them, but they've been big. It gets lost in the shuffle because outs do, but the ball he hit off [Joe] Smith [in the ninth inning on Thursday], that's as good as you can hit a ball. He hit that ball probably better than he hit the home run. But it was right into the wind and didn't have enough, so it was an out. I thought that was a really good sign."

Finally: The Indians agreed to terms with two more draft choices on Friday: 15th-rounder Luke Eubank, a right-handed pitcher from Oxnard (Calif.) College, and 24th-rounder Jodd Carter, an outfielder from Hilo High School in Hawaii. The Indians have now signed 25 of their 42 draft picks.

The days of Jose Mesa plunking Omar Vizquel are over, but the two have yet to reconcile.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seen and heard around Progressive Field on Friday.

Clubhouse confidential: The days of Jose Mesa plunking Omar Vizquel are over, but the two have yet to reconcile.

The former Indians teammates feuded after Vizquel was critical of Mesa's involvement in Cleveland's Game 7 letdown in the 1997 World Series. Mesa then vowed to throw at Vizquel every time he encountered him on the diamond.

"He hit me three times," Vizquel said. "He said he was going to hit me every time he faced me and he did that."

Vizquel said he got redemption in their final duel.

"He was playing for Colorado in one of his last years and he had bases loaded," Vizquel said, "and I came up to hit and I said, 'Well, if he hits me, I'm going to get an RBI.' He pitched to me and I got a base hit to right and I got two RBIs. I got him back. That was the last time I saw Jose."

Vizquel said the two were close when they played together in Cleveland.

"It's so funny, because he was one of my best friends when I was here," Vizquel said. "We had lockers right next to each other. We lived five minutes away from each other. We fooled around a lot. We cooked together.

"It was kind of sad that I never got to tell him that I didn't really mean anything bad about what I said in the book or whatever people said about it. It was just a bad incident that turned a detour and he took it in a different way. It's bad that I haven't really talked to him about it."

Still raking: Victor Martinez, 35, entered Friday's action with a .328 batting average, 17 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .969 OPS. He ranked third in the American League in batting average, fourth in homers and second in OPS.

"If he keeps hitting like this, he'll be teammates with his son, Victor Jose [one day]," said Indians manager Terry Francona. "They'll be together."

Martinez is batting .394 against lefties and .304 against righties.

"I don't think he's biased," Francona said. "He's good against everybody. Victor goes through periods when he's hot that are difficult. He's the perfect guy behind [Miguel Cabrera]."

Stat of the day: Nick Swisher had two extra-inning, game-winning home runs in a span of five days this week. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Albert Pujols (June 4-5, 2011) is the only other player in the majors over the last 10 seasons to slug two extra-inning, game-winning home runs in a span of five days. The last Indians player to accomplish the feat was Albert Belle on Aug. 30-31, 1995.

Since 1978, 45 Ohioans have been selected in the NHL Draft, and 20 have reached the NHL. Alex Nedeljkovic and Nick Magyar are expected to be the next locals drafted.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Since 1978, 45 Ohioans have been selected in the NHL Draft, according to hockeydb.com, a respected hockey database website. Thus far, 20 have reached in the NHL, including current players John Albert (Concord Township) of Winnipeg and Peter Harrold (Kirtland Hills) of New Jersey, Mike Rupp (Cleveland) of Minnesota and J.T. Miller (East Palestine) of the New York Rangers.

A Greater Cleveland player has not been drafted since Albert in 2007, and the area hasn't produced two draft picks since 2005. Albert scored in his first NHL game this winter.

That is expected to change at the NHL Draft on June 27-28. Parma goalie Alex Nedeljkovic is projected to be taken in the first two rounds and Mentor right wing Nick Magyar is expected to go between the second and fourth rounds. They are friends and former Cleveland Barons youth league teammates.

Ohioans in the NHL Draft since 1978

Year  Player                Hometown        Highest league 

1978  Curt Fraser          Cincinnati           NHL
1979  Ed Hospodar        Bowling Green     NHL 
1979  Bill McCreary        Hudson              NHL
1980  Moe Mantha         Lakewood           NHL
1982  Dave Ellett           Cleveland           NHL
1984  Bill Brown             Dayton              College
1984  John Devereaux    Cincinnati          Minor Pro
1985  Pat Jablonski        Toledo               NHL
1986  Rick Hayward       Toledo               NHL
1986  Jeff Jablonski       Toledo               Minor Pro  
1988  Mark Smith          Garfield Hts.      Minor Pro 
1988  Todd Harkins       Cleveland           NHL

1989  Rick Judson         Toledo               Minor Pro
1989  Brett Harkins       North Ridgeville  NHL
1989  Ted Kramer         Findlay               Minor Pro
1990  Ian Moran           Cleveland           NHL
1990  Bryan Smolinski   Toledo               NHL
1991  Brian Holzinger    Parma                NHL
1991  Tony Prpic           Cleveland           Minor Pro
1991  Aaron Kriss          Parma               Minor Pro
1991  Aris Brimanis        Shaker Heights  NHL
1992  Justin Krall           Toledo              Minor Pro
1993  Gordy Hunt          Toledo              Minor Pro
1995  Erik Kaminski       Cleveland          Minor Pro
1996  Chris Bogas          Cleveland Hts.   Minor Pro
1997  Ben Simon           Shaker Heights  NHL
1997  Adam Edinger       Toledo              Minor Pro
1998  Mike Rupp            Cleveland          NHL

2000  Mike Rupp*            Cleveland          NHL
2003  Dan Fritsche         Parma               NHL
2004  Ian Keserich         Parma               Minor Pro
2004  Tyler Haskins       Madison             Minor Pro  
2004  Matt Auffrey         Cincinnati          Minor Pro
2005  Nathan Davis       Rocky River        Minor Pro  
2005  Tom Fritsche        Parma               Minor Pro    
2007  Josh Unice           Holland              Minor Pro
2007  Trent Vogelhuber Dublin                Minor Pro 
2007  John Albert          Cleveland           NHL
2010  Austin Levi          Columbus           Minor Pro

2010  Chris Crane         West Chester      Minor Pro
2010  Jimmy Mullin       Cincinnati           College-University  
2011   Tyler Biggs          Loveland           Minor Pro
2011  J.T. Miller            East Palestine     NHL
2011  Sean Kuraly         Dublin               College-University
2011  Connor Murphy    Dublin               NHL
2013  Cole Cassels        Columbus          Major Junior
* -- Mike Rupp was drafted twice. He did not sign in 1998 and was drafted again in 2000. 

Source: hockeydb.com

Parma's Alex Nedeljkovic and Mentor's Nick Magyar are close friends and former junior hockey teammates and both are expected to be taken in the upcoming NHL Draft 2014.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Rare is the hockey player from Northeast Ohio selected in the NHL Draft.

Rarer still is the player who actually skates in the NHL.

Say hello to Parma's Alex Nedeljkovic and Mentor's Nick Magyar, two rare, yet remarkably similar birds whose professional hockey careers are to take flight at the NHL Draft June 27-28 in Philadelphia, where the close friends and former teammates will reunite and add a promising chapter to Cleveland's hockey history.

Greater Cleveland hasn't seen a local player drafted since 2007 – John Albert, who made a dramatic NHL debut in December – and the area hasn't produced two draft picks since 2005 (see chart).

"It's very unusual. You don't see a lot of guys who have done that from Cleveland,'' Nedeljkovic said.

Nedeljkovic likely will be drafted in the first two rounds and has a chance to become the first goalie from Northeast Ohio to play in the NHL, according to hockey-reference.com. The NHL's Central Scouting bureau ranks Nedeljkovic as the fourth-best goalie from North America available in the draft, and he is coming off a season in which he was named the high-powered Ontario Hockey League's Goaltender of the Year.

Magyar is ranked No. 32 among North American skaters, and is the fifth-ranked right wing. He was No. 52 in January and his stock rose sharply as went on to lead the OHL's Kitchener Rangers in scoring this season.

The 18-year-olds from opposite sides of Cleveland are good buddies with a lot more in common than a shared roots and hockey passion. They are former Cleveland Barons youth hockey teammates for almost five years who remain in contact even though they now play Junior hockey for different OHL teams.

Both left Ohio, as well as their families, about two years ago because they had outgrown what hockey has to offer here, and because they already had set their sights on what is about to become a reality – a path to the NHL.

"To see how far Nick has come and how far we've both come since we were playing in Cleveland, it's just incredible to think a few years ago we were playing with each other, and now we're going to Philly and expected to go pretty high in the draft,'' Nedeljkovic said. "When he goes, I'll be incredibly happy for him and when I get drafted, I know he'll be happy for me.''

Even though they play different positions, their scouting reports are quite alike: extremely hard worker, mature beyond his years, student of the game, intelligent, great anticipation, and a quiet, yet strong leader. Add well-spoken, thoughtful and polite, and the well-rounded picture comes into focus.

Magyar and Nedeljkovic are held in high regard by the hockey adults in their lives who have seen good kids and misfits come and go.

"There's not anybody in this building that doesn't love this kid,'' Plymouth Whalers General Manager Mark Craig said of Nedeljkovic. "I don't care if it's the kid in the locker room who picks up the tape balls, the janitor or the team president. I told his parents they should be extremely proud of what he does off the ice.''

Despite the rigors of traveling North America in the OHL, and sometimes internationally for USA Hockey, both graduated from high school this month with 3.5 grade-point averages.

Magyar billeted with a host family in Kitchener, 100 miles northwest of Buffalo, and took online classes from Mentor High. He received his diploma in the mail last week. He missed graduation because he was at a training camp. Nedeljkovic attended Plymouth (Mich.) High. His family moved from Parma to Michigan last year to reunite with Alex, and because his younger brother, Andy, is following in his footsteps and also is playing in Michigan.

Identical starts, strong bonds

Neither comes from hockey families, but they are hockey families now. Nedeljkovic's father, Butch, grew up playing soccer and hoping Alex would follow suit. Nick's parents were multi-sport athletes – Mark at West Geauga and Joelle at Mayfield – but had nothing to do with hockey.

Like thousands of Greater Cleveland kids over the years, Nedeljkovic and Magyar stumbled into hockey after taking skating lessons as little boys – Alex at Parma Ries Ice Rink and Nick at Mentor Civic Center.

They quickly showed promise and wound up playing for the Cleveland Barons elite youth teams by age 10, which meant they traveled extensively to tournaments in Chicago, New York, Ontario, Quebec and elsewhere. Fees, equipment and travel can quickly add up to several thousand dollars a season, and both sets of parents would demonstrate a willingness to make personal and financial sacrifices to further their son's goals, all of which they said was made easier every time they saw how hard their sons were working.

"Sacrifice is the right word. We are firm believers in the kids and the family, and they come first,'' said Theresa Nedeljkovic, Alex's mother. "We're going to do what we have to do, to get our kids where they want to be.''

Nick Magyar recognized the commitment his parents made.

"It was tough on my parents and I couldn't thank them enough. They were always willing to go the extra mile,'' he said.

To save money, fathers Mark Magyar and Butch Nedeljkovic often drove together and shared hotel rooms as their sons became close friends, including a two-week trip to Quebec.

"Alex is a really good friend of mine and our brothers are best friends,'' Nick Magyar said. "We're really close with that whole family.''

Said Nedeljkovic, "Nick is a great guy off the ice. He's kind of quiet, but will make himself heard when he needs to. He's a good guy to relate to and talk to, and the past few years, it's been easy to talk to him even when we're not on the same team.''

The family bonds grew even stronger through the years with their younger brothers, Andy Nedeljkovic and Drew Magyar, who are promising 15-year-old forwards and also were Barons teammates until last year. The families continued to travel with the younger brothers after Alex and Nick left home.

Nick Magyar and Alex Nedeljkovic both are oldest siblings with strong paternal instincts. Nick and his brother Drew are inseparable when Nick is home.

Magyars' mother, Joelle, has fond memories of watching Alex Nedeljkovic interact with his siblings when the kids were younger.

"He would pick up his little sisters (Annamarie and Nina) after games and hug and kiss them and was never embarrassed in front of his buddies to act that way,'' she recalled.

On the ice, Nick Magyar and Alex Nedeljkovic began to turn heads when they helped the Barons win the prestigious Whitby (Ont.) Silver Sticks tournament in 2010. Nedeljkovic posted a 1.97 goals-against average as a 14-year-old Bantam for the Barons in 2010-11. Magyar's big year came in 2011-12 when he had 64 points in 36 games for the Barons U16 Midget team.

Their success led to the separation. Magyar went west and Nedeljkovic headed north.

Leaving home, finding their future

The road from Cleveland to the NHL often leads through the OHL or another Junior league that forces teenagers to leave home while still in high school. Their maturity and paternal instincts came in handy.

"I didn't go to homecoming and missed a lot of football games, but I realize I'm not the most normal high school kid,'' Magyar said. "In the end, I believe it's for the better.''

Nedeljkovic's first step on that road was with Belle Tire, an elite Tier 1 team in Detroit in 2011-12. He just turned 16 when he was called up to the OHL and the Plymouth Whalers in 2012-13. By the end of the season, he was starting in goal for a 15-game playoff run against players as old as 20.

"I immediately noticed how mature he was for his age and how he handled himself on and off the ice,'' Plymouth coach Don Elland said. "When you talk to him, you feel like you're talking to a 25-year-old. It's a presence. It's hard to put a finger on it. We had a good team his rookie year. We had 13 draft picks and four first rounders, and those guys were saying, 'This guy is sick. I can't score on him.'"

This past season, with a much younger team around him, Nedeljkovic posted a 2.88 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.

In April, Nedeljkovic became a world champion. He led Team USA to a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF Men's Under-18 World Championship in Lappeenranta, Finland, allowing 11 goals in seven games (1.84 goals against average) with a .902 save percentage.

Nedeljkovic said he patterns his reactionary style of play after St. Louis Blues goalie Ryan Miller, challenging shooters at the top of the crease but not being overly aggressive.

"He reminds me more of (Henrik Lundqvist), who just finished playing for the Stanley Cup,'' the Whalers' Craig said. "It looks like he patterns himself after him – his demeanor, and how he stands – that's the feeling I got from watching him. Nick has just an unbelievable work ethic and athleticism. His fundamentals are phenomenal, he's always square to the puck and he's never out of position.''

Midway through the 2012-13 season, Magyar was drafted by Sioux City of the amateur U.S. Hockey League. The team called at Christmas and wanted him in Iowa two days later. His mother, Joelle, an assistant superintendent at Mayfield School District, said he could go, but he would have to wait until he finished the semester at Mentor High in January.

He struggled at Sioux City, registering six points in 27 games, and had another decision to make. Kitchener also had drafted him, but the OHL is considered a professional league, and if Magyar went, he would lose his college eligibility. Magyar had made an oral commitment to Ohio State. He could return to Sioux City and go on to Ohio State, or play in the OHL, which is a higher skilled league that better fit his style of play.

"Sioux City was not necessarily the best fit for me personally, hockeywise, but I don't regret going there at all. It helped my development and I enjoyed the experience of being away from home,'' Magyar said. "It was a tough decision. Ohio State was my dream school. It all comes down to my main goal to make it to the NHL, and the OHL gives me the best opportunity.''

He quickly worked his way into a young lineup, power plays and penalty kills. Despite being a 17-year-old in a league of players as old as 20, many of who already had been drafted, the 6-2, 195-pounder with soft hands and a hard shot began to get noticed. He had 20 goals and 26 assists in 66 games.

The only area of his game scouts say is lacking is quickness on his first two steps. Magyar spent last week at a power skating camp in Boston working on that skill.

"Nick has good anticipation and a quick release. He seems to be fairly accurate with his shot,'' said Kitchener General Manager Murray Hiebert. "He has the potential to be a goal scorer in the National Hockey League. It's a long road, but I do see him as a scorer. Has a certain knack.''

Ready for the draft, and beyond

The Nedeljkovics and Magyars will reunite in Philadelphia next weekend for the draft and are feeling a mix of excitement, nerves and anxiety. It has been a long road, and they hope, it is far from finished.

"It's a never-ending goal,'' said Theresa Nedeljkovic. "We keep passing milestones. This year, Alex got his award (OHL Goalie of the Year) and there was the World Championships. There's always something coming up. Yes, the draft is next, but there's more after that. He's not done.''

Nick Magyar and Alex Nedeljkovic could not agree more.

"What I've learned about the draft is that you really don't know,'' Magyar said. "I could get picked ... I'm not even going to say where. I'm not going to go in the draft all confident and say, 'I'm going to go by this pick.' I'm going in with the attitude that I'm going to get drafted and that's been my goal my whole life, and that's enough to make me excited.''

Not surprisingly, Alex Nedeljkovic will arrive in Philadelphia with an outlook almost identical to his friend and former teammate.

"Now, everything is starting to hit you,'' Nedeljkovic said. "It's becoming real life instead of a dream now. I think everybody gets caught up in where they are going to go and all these different mock drafts, and it's hard not to look at them.

"But you have to kind of put it in the back of your mind and realize it does not matter if you going to be the first or fifth goalie. Just over 200 get drafted, and being one of those thousands and thousands of kids who dreamed this, it's an incredible honor.

"Hopefully, I play in the NHL and I will have a long career ahead of me. That's always been the goal.''

SCOUTING NICK MAGYAR AND ALEX NEDELJKOVIC

Name: Nick Magyar

Hometown: Mentor.

Current residence: Mentor.

Age: 18

Height: 6-2

Weight: 192

Position: Right wing

Current team: Kitchener (Ont.) Rangers (OHL)

Scouting report: Great vision and anticipation, high hockey IQ, good hands, shoots well, needs to work on first step, leads by example, strong work ethic, skilled athlete, capable of physical play.

Career stats: OHL: 66 games, 20 goals, 26 assists. U.S. Development Team: 4 games, 0 points.

Awards: Kitchener Rangers 2014 Rookie of the Year, OHL Second-Team All-Rookie.

Name: Alex Nedeljkovic 

Hometown: Parma

Current residence: Canton, Mich.

Age: 18

Height: 6-0

Weight: 183

Position: Goalie

Current team: Plymouth (Mich.) Whalers (OHL)

Scouting report: Solid fundamentals, stays square to puck, very athletic, plays near top of crease with confidence, excellent read and reaction and rebound control, strong work ethic, vocal leader. Not as tall as some teams prefer.

Career stats: 2013-14, 61 games, 2.88 goals-against, .925 save percentage (OHL); 2012-13, 26 games, 2.28 GAA, .923 save percentage (OHL); 2014 World Junior Championships, 6 games, 1.84 GAA, .902 save percentage.

Awards: 2013 OHL All-Rookie First Team, Best Rookie Goalie; 2014 OHL All-Star, Goaltender of the Year.

2014 NHL DRAFT
When: July 27-28

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

TV: NBCSN will broadcast the first round live at 7 p.m. June 27. Rounds 2-7 will be carried by the NHL Network starting at 10 a.m. June 28.

Rounds: Seven

Notable: Florida has the first pick. Columbus drafts No. 16 in the first round.

Costa Rica's second time ever in the knockout stage was cause for even FIFA to be in some disbelief.

Costa Rica. Land of ecotourism, coffee and now a history-making men's national soccer team.   

Everything the Central American nation is known for, however, is suddenly taking a backseat to Ticos soccer. Especially after Friday's 1-0 stunner over Italy that gave Costa Rica its second straight major upset in the World Cup and a place in the knockout round with still a match to play in Group D.

Costa Rica soccer fans celebrate after their team's World Cup victory over Italy in San Jose, Costa Rica, Friday, June 20, 2014. Costa Rica won 1-0. The sign reads in Spanish "More Italian summers!" (AP Photo/Enrique Martinez) 

Scant few expected Costa Rica to even get a point against the likes of Italy, England and Uruguay in the "Group of Champions," those three teams having each won at least one World Cup in their histories. 

But after a 3-1 thumping of Uruguay to open the tournament, Costa Rica got the only goal it needed to top Italy Friday from Bryan Ruiz just before halftime. Now Italy and Uruguay find themselves still fighting for the last knockout spot from the group. Costa Rica, meanwhile, is assured of at least second place, meaning it is headed to the Round of 16 and can win the group with a win or draw against England next week.

Costa Rica's second time ever in the knockout stage was cause for even FIFA to be in some disbelief, apparently, as soccer's governing body tested seven Ticos players for doping after the match. 

Friday's World Cup scores

Costa Rica 1, Italy 0

France 5, Switzerland 2

Ecuador 2, Honduras 1

Cheerio, England

England fans react following Uruguay's 2-1 victory over England in the group D World Cup soccer match between Uruguay and England at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, June 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) 

Italy's loss officially eliminated England from the World Cup. The Three Lions continue to underachieve in recent World Cup history despite the nation's storied tradition in the sport, having not gotten past the quarterfinals since 1990. 

This guy on the right pretty much sums up how they feel in England today.

France dances on Switzerland

With back-to-back goals scored in the game's 17th and 18th minutes and a third scored in the 40th minute -- plus a missed chance at a fourth tally in the first half when Karim Benzema's penalty was saved -- France sent an early message to the rest of the field Friday that Les Bleus are a title contender. France dominated for 80 minutes before allowing the two Swiss goals in a 5-2 victory. 

France has eight goals in the World Cup, which is really all that matters. Had the referee allowed a few more seconds on his watch, Benzema would have made it six goals for his team on the day. 

"Enner" strength

In a hard-fought, entertaining Friday finale, Enner Valencia helped Ecuador get its first win in the World Cup with two goals against Honduras, after La Tri trailed 1-0 in Curitiba. Honduras is 0-2 and on the brink of elimination, though Los Catrachos did score their first World Cup goal since 1982. 

Player of the Day: Benzema. His second-half goal Friday gave the Real Madrid man three in the World Cup, and it could easily be five. Benzema is in the running for the Golden Boot, the trophy given to the top scorer in the World Cup.

Moment of the Day: Two of them. France and Honduras, the only two teams not to hear their respective national anthems due to technical difficulties before they played each other last Sunday, finally got the opportunity to sing their hearts out before their games Friday. We all got to hear La Marseillaise, one of the most recognizable national anthems in the world. 

Team of the Day: Costa Rica. The team ranked No. 28 in the world rankings heading into this World Cup has already defeated the No. 7 and No. 9 teams since arriving in Brazil. These are major upsets, made bigger because they have happened on a neutral pitch. 

Bryan Ruiz of Costa Rica: "Many people did not believe in us because we were in the group of death. Now they are the dead"

-- Transfer Sources (@TransferSources) June 20, 2014

Can Team USA keep rolling?

The United States is back in action Sunday in a critical matchup against Portugal. Can the U.S. team sustain the momentum from their opening victory over Ghana? Listen to PennLive.com's Anthony Lovari and Jacob Klinger break down the matchup and make their predictions in the World Cup Counterattack podcast:

One for the other index finger

Brazil has five World Cup titles, one for each finger on a typical hand. But not this family's hands. The Silvas are getting a lot of attention in Brazil as the Selecao seek the country's sixth championship. 

In case you missed it

Business is not as good during the World Cup as some might think for workers of one specialized profession in Brazil. Local prostitutes are reportedly disappointed in the underwhelming patronage of both their inebriated countrymen and the dirty "gringos."

New Cavaliers coach David Blatt will bring an innovative approach to the job. He will be the first coach from Europe to lead an NBA team.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- New Cavaliers coach David Blatt brings two key elements to the job: Innovation and victories.

"David Blatt is going to bring some of the most innovative approaches found in professional basketball anywhere on the globe,'' Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said in the press release officially announcing Blatt's hire on Friday night. "Time and time again, from Russia to Israel and several other prominent head coaching jobs in between, David has done one thing: win. He is not only an innovator, well-trained and focused on both sides of the court, but he is always learning and always teaching.

"Whether you are a top draft pick just entering the league, or a seasoned NBA veteran, Coach Blatt is going to take your game and the game of the team you are playing for to a new and higher level. That's just who the man is and we are proud to call him our new head coach. We are driven by one thing and one thing only; delivering Cavaliers fans everywhere and the city of a Cleveland the kind of competitive basketball they deserve. I look forward to David's leadership in helping the entire Cavaliers organization realize our vision.''

Blatt, 55, a Massachusetts native who played for Pete Carril at Princeton, signed an incentive-laden, three-year deal with a team option for a fourth that could be worth up to $20 million. He becomes the first European head coach to become an NBA head coach and will be introduced at a press conference on Wednesday.

"David is a great basketball coach and a special person,'' Cavs general manager David Griffin said in the release. "His abilities to communicate, to build relationships with his players and to foster winning environments at several stops throughout Europe and across the highest levels of International competition speaks for itself. He brings unbridled passion, energy and creativity to his craft. These qualities have enabled David to reach a level of success that is truly unique.

"I have watched David's work for many years. He has an uncanny ability to adapt his system to maximize the talents of his teams year after year. That is why I am very confident he will make a smooth transition to the NBA.  There is a great opportunity to accelerate the progress of moving our team and franchise to the higher level of play we all believe we are capable of achieving. I am excited that the experience, knowledge, skills and leadership David will bring to the Cavaliers is the right fit at the right time."  

Blatt most recently coached perennial Euroleague championship contender Maccabi Tel Aviv, where his team finished with a 54-18 record this season, winning the Israel League, Israeli Cup and the Euroleague Championship. During his six years as head coach (2001-03 and 2010-2014), Blatt led the team to six Israeli Cup championships and five Israeli League championships. Over the past four seasons, Blatt's teams went 225-55, (.804 winning percentage) including a team-best 70-13 record in 2011-12.

Earlier Friday, the team issued the following statement: "Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv is proud of David Blatt, who was the team's head coach for the last four years and has been part of the family for the last nine. We congratulate him on this historic achievement of being selected to man the post of head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In the same way big players have traveled from Maccabi to the NBA, today the coach is on a similar path.

"Blatt is a brilliant person, a class-act as a coach and as a person, and there is no one better deserving this respected position. We went a long and success-laden way together, and today he is fulfilling a dream. We salute him and are sure that he will do a great job overseas as well. We wish him all the very best from the bottom of our hearts and are looking forward to meet David and the Cavaliers in the preseason."

Blatt also spent six years as head coach of the Russian National Team, where in 2007, he guided Russia to a FIBA European championship over then reigning world champion Spain in Madrid. During the 2012 London Olympics, he led Russia, including Sergey Karasev, to the bronze medal, the only Russian basketball medal since the break-up of the Soviet Union.

"I couldn't be more excited about the opportunity to come to Cleveland and lead the Cavaliers as their head coach,'' Blatt said in the release. "After spending a great deal of time discussing the organization, the team and the head coach's role with David Griffin, I feel strongly about my fit for the job and this team's potential. This is an opportune time to join the Cleveland Cavaliers. We are going to work extremely hard to achieve the kind of results we all expect and know are possible.

"I also want to thank Dan Gilbert, Nate Forbes, Jeff Cohen, and many others within the Cavaliers front office, for their belief and confidence in me and what we can accomplish together. This is a proud day for me, personally, but I hope just the first of many more for all of us as we work towards a very bright future. I have always heard about how great of a sports town Cleveland is and have come to understand how much fans here care about the Cavaliers. This makes me feel especially excited and comfortable to join this community but above all motivates me to help deliver in a big way."

Blatt played professionally in Europe from 1981-93, mostly in the Israeli League. After retiring from playing in 1993 with Maccabi Hadera, Blatt built a successful 20-year coaching career overseas, including head coaching stints in Israel, Greece, Russia and Turkey.  In 1996, he was named Israeli League Coach of the Year, the first of four times he would receive the award throughout his career (1996, 2002, 2011 and 2014). He has led teams to championships in the FIBA EuroChallenge (2005), Italian League (2006), Italian Cup (2007) and Adriatic League (2012) and was the Russian Super League Coach of the Year in 2005 (Dynamo Saint Petersburg).

His hiring brings a close to an almost six-week search to replace Mike Brown, who was fired on May 12. The decision came down to Blatt and Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue, a long-time NBA player who has been an assistant to Doc Rivers for five years, four of them in Boston. Alvin Gentry, believed to be the third finalist, took a job as the associate head coach of the Golden State Warriors under Steve Kerr. Kerr was considering Blatt for a similar position. The Cavs reportedly also considered hiring either Lue or Gentry as associate/assistant coach.

The search included at least a dozen candidates. Blatt was at least the seventh -- and last -- candidate to interview, along with Lue, Gentry, popular former Cav Mark Price, Lionel Hollins, Vinny Del Negro and Adrian Griffin. In addition, it's believed the Cavs reached out to at least another five candidates, formally or informally, including former Golden State coach Mark Jackson and college coaches John Calipari of Kentucky, Kevin Ollie of UConn, Billy Donovan of Florida and Tom Izzo of Michigan State.

With the coach in place, the Cavs now turn their attention to their No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft on June 26. They worked out Duke's Jabari Parker on Friday, after working out Kansas star Andrew Wiggins on Wednesday. After Kansas center Joel Embiid underwent foot surgery on Friday that could keep him out between four and six months, the Cavs choice likely will come down to Parker or Wiggins if the Cavs don't trade the pick.

The Indians lost the first game of the series against the Detroit Tigers, 6-4.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians lost the first game of the series against the Detroit Tigers, 6-4.  

Former Indians catcher Victor Martinez got the scoring started with a two-run home run against Tribe starter Corey Kluber in the fourth inning. Kluber, who allowed two runs on seven innings of work, took the loss. He is now 6-5 on the season.

Rick Porcello picked up the win for Detroit, going six shutout innings for his ninth win of the year.

Following the game, Indians manager Terry Francona talked about Kluber's outing, John Axford giving up a three-run homer to J.D. Martinez in the eighth inning and the Indians' offensive problems against Porcello.

With the Indians trailing the Tigers 2-0 in the top of the eighth inning, manager Terry Francona went to his bullpen, looking for some help long enough for his team to try to mount another late game rally. Francona called on John Axford, but he didn't provide the relief the Indians needed on Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- With the Indians trailing the Tigers 2-0 in the top of the eighth inning, manager Terry Francona went to his bullpen, looking for some help long enough for his team to try to mount another late game rally. Francona called on John Axford, but he didn't provide the relief the Indians needed on Friday night.

Axford allowed a three-run home run to J.D. Martinez, which turned out to be enough offense for Detroit, even though it added one more run to beat the Indians on Friday night, 6-4.

Axford met with reporters following the game and talked about having to deal with such a tough Tigers lineup, giving up such a big hit and what went wrong against Martinez.

The Indians comeback attempt against the Detroit Tigers fell short on Friday night as the Tribe lost the first game of the series against their division rival, 6-4.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians' comeback attempt against the Detroit Tigers fell short on Friday night as the Tribe lost the first game of the series against their division rival, 6-4.

It's the Indians second loss of the season against Detroit.

After the game, cleveland.com's Chris Fedor and Zack Meisel broke down the loss. They discussed the importance of the series against Detroit, the turnout by the fans, John Axford's future with the club and the return of Michael Brantley. They also talked about the Indians' decision to call Vinnie Pestano back up from the minors. 

Get complete coverage of the loss at cleveland.com/tribe.

More video:

Terry Francona postgame

John Axford postgame

The Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak against the Indians with a 6-4 victory Friday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The previous time the Tigers entered a series at Progressive Field, they were 27-12 and led the AL Central Division by seven games. They walked into the building wearing tiger-striped Zubaz outfits.

On Friday afternoon, they were 37-32 and trailed the Kansas City Royals by one-half game in the division. They opted for conventional attire en route to the clubhouse.

The Tigers have a different look these days, to be sure. But as long as Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez are constants in the lineup, they remain the favorites to win the division.

Cabrera and Martinez continued to pester the Indians in support of right-hander Rick Porcello, who allowed six hits in six shutout innings of a 6-4 victory Friday night. Paid attendance in a festive atmosphere: 33,545.

Martinez hit a two-run homer and J.D. Martinez a three-run homer as the Tigers snapped a three-game losing streak to the Tribe, which had sent them into the protracted slump with a sweep May 19-21. Detroit is 19-13 on the road.

The Tigers moved back into first place by one-half game over Kansas City, which lost at home to Seattle.

The Indians (37-37) lost for the second time in 13 games at Progressive Field, where they are 23-13. They slipped to 4-2 against Detroit this season.

The Indians, trailing, 5-0, erupted for four in the eighth against Tigers lefty Ian Krol. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run homer with none out and Carlos Santana a solo shot with one out. Krol struck out Lonnie Chisenhall looking at a close pitch. Righty Joba Chamberlain relieved and struck out Nick Swisher swinging.

Tigers closer Joe Nathan worked the ninth to earn his 15th save.

The Indians amassed 11 hits and walked once, but they managed just five at-bats with runners in scoring position. They notched one hit with RISP, extending their streak of games with one or zero hits in such situations to eight games. They are 6-for-51 in that span (4-4). 

Porcello (9-4, 3.76 ERA) walked one and struck out three. He improved to 4-0 with a 1.47 ERA in five starts against Cleveland since the beginning of last season.

Porcello benefitted from not being required to face the Tribe's best player, Michael Brantley, who did not start because of head/neck soreness. Brantley, injured in the early innings Monday, pinch-hit with two outs in the ninth against Nathan and dumped a single into center.

Porcello's counterpart, Corey Kluber, also pitched well. Kluber (6-5, 3.30) gave up two runs on eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out six.

"He made pitches when he had to,'' Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He got us pretty deep into the game and gave up two runs. That's a pretty good game.''

Kluber notched his first quality start in four June outings. But he was unable to solve Cabrera and Martinez in the fourth, and it cost him the two runs.

Cabrera led off by fighting off a 1-1 fastball and dumping it into center for a single. Kluber had made a good pitch, which ended up several inches off the plate inside. Cabrera is not the two-time defending A.L. MVP for nothing.

Kluber followed with a bad pitch. Martinez timed a first-pitch fastball over the plate at the thighs and sent it over the right-field wall for his 18th homer.

"A first-pitch fastball that caught too much of the plate,'' Francona said.

Cabrera finished 1-for-4 with two runs and is batting .318 and slugging .543. In his career, he is 12-for-24 with three homers against Kluber and 150-for-449 with 32 homers and 105 RBI in 117 games against the Indians.

Friday marked the 11th anniversary of Cabrera's MLB debut (with the Florida Marlins at age 20). He has 377 homers and 1,317 RBI in 1,730 games.

Former Indian Martinez finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs and is batting .328. In his career, he is 8-for-17 with two homers against Kluber and 70-for-191  with eight homers and 44 RBI in 52 games against the Indians.

First baseman Cabrera is not supposed to hurt the opposition with his defense. It happened in the sixth. After Michael Bourn led off with a single, Cabrera chopped the first pitch to Cabrera, who triggered a 3-6-3 double play. Miggy used nifty footwork to maintain the bag while receiving the relay.

The Tigers having recorded two outs, not one, became significant when Jason Kipnis singled and advanced to third on Santana's single. Chisenhall swung at the first pitch and popped to second.

Porcello gave way to Al Alburquerque, whose previous appearance against the Tribe, in the 13th inning May 21, ended with a walkoff balk. Alburquerque rebounded to work a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts.

Detroit expanded its lead to 5-0 in the eighth against John Axford. After Austin Jackson singled with one out, Miggy grounded into the hole at short, where Cabrera denied him a hit by getting the force at second. Jason Kipnis narrowly missed turning the double play because Miggy hustled down the line.

Miggy scooted to second on a wild pitch, which made an intentional walk to Martinez the correct play. J.D. Martinez spoiled the strategy by ambushing Axford, sending a first-pitch fastball over the right-field wall for his seventh homer.

Oh, by the way: J.D. Martinez finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run and is batting .317. He is 10-for-28 with six homers against the Indians.

"As hot as J.D. Martinez is, he's such a good first-ball, fastball hitter,'' Francona said. "He got one that caught way too much of the plate.''

The Indians made matters interesting in the eighth. The Tigers answered with Ian Kinsler's two-out RBI double in the ninth.

"It's the character of our team to come back like that,'' Kluber said. "We've done it a number of times. Unfortunately, we weren't able to pull it out.''

Kluber worked a perfect first in 15 pitches. The third out came when Cabrera popped a 1-2 off-speed pitch to right.

The previous time Cabrera was in the batter's box at Progressive Field, in the sixth inning May 21, he was ejected for arguing with plate umpire Tim Timmons. Cabrera had wanted Timmons to check with the first-base umpire before determining whether a swing occurred.

Kluber faced the minimum in the second. Martinez led off with a four-foul, nine-pitch at-bat that ended with a full-count screamer into left fielder Mike Aviles's glove.

J.D. Martinez singled up the middle, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Nick Castellanos grounded the first pitch sharply to shortstop Cabrera, who handled a tricky hop and commenced a 6-4-3 double play.

Porcello gave up one hit through two -- an infield single by Chisenhall with one out in the second. Chisenhall's grounder toward the hole at short was knocked down by Eugenio Suarez. Swisher, in his first at-bat since a walkoff grand slam Thursday afternoon, hit a grounder to the right of second base. Kinsler dived, gloved and triggered a 4-6-3.

Kluber encountered difficulty in the third. Don Kelly, who usually reserves his extra-base pop against the Indians for Justin Masterson, led off with a double to right. Kluber caught Bryan Holaday looking at a slurve for a strikeout.

On a 3-1 pitch to No. 9 batter Suarez, Kelly inexplicably attempted to steal third. Gomes caught the strike and threw a strike to Chisenhall, who applied the tag while falling forward. Kelly's decision was bad even before he was out.

The play took on greater significance when, on the next pitch, Suarez singled to center. Kelly would have scored from second. Kluber did not appear to want anything to do with Kinsler, walking him in four pitches. Jackson, in an 0-2 count, popped foul to first baseman Santana.

The Indians pressured Porcello in their half. With one out, Gomes singled and moved to second on Aviles' single to left. Bourn lined to right and Cabrera popped to short. It made the Tribe 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.

Four-star linebacker Jerome Baker of Benedictine, one of Ohio State's top remaining targets in the 2015 class, released his top – and final – eight, and Ohio State made the cut.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State earned an oral commitment from four-star linebacker Nick Conner of Dublin (Ohio) Scioto last week. 

It just took another step toward adding another. 

That's because Benedictine linebacker Jerome Baker, one of Ohio State's top remaining targets in the 2015 class, announced his top – and final - eight on Friday night, and the Buckeyes made the cut. 

Joining Ohio State in Baker's group of eight are, in no particular order, are Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan State and Penn State. 

Rated by Rivals.com the No. 3 athlete in the 2015 class, Baker racked up 20 scholarship offers before narrowing his list. He's considered an athlete because of his speed – he also plays running back for Benedictine – but he projects as a linebacker at the next level. 

My top 8 are..... pic.twitter.com/FJX0vrykGD

— Baker Inc. (@Lastname_Baker) June 21, 2014

Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn died on Monday from cancer of the mouth. He believed it was caused by his years of using smokeless tobacco as player. Later this year MLB is expected to release an informational video in which Gwynn speaks posthumously about his use of tobacco.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. went into the Hall of Fame together in 2007. Over 75,000 fans gathered in Cooperstown for the induction.

The crowd, spread across a series of small rolling hills in upstate New York, made it feel more like Woodstock than an induction ceremony. I was there sitting at the podium, an interloper, among the greatest living ballplayers in the world because 2007 just so happened to be my term as president of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Early in his speech, Gwynn said hello to his mother, who was ill and could not attend the ceremony. In the crowd, people cheered and held up signs with the numbers "5.5' printed on them. I didn't know what it meant until someone told me it was the fictional hole between the third baseman (No.5 in baseball scoring) and the shortstop (No.6) that Gwynn wore out on his way to 3,141 hits.

I thought about those things Monday when Gwynn died of mouth cancer at 54. The sunbaked day in Cooperstown was nearly seven years ago, but it seemed like yesterday.

After being diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland in 2010, Gwynn believed he developed the disease from his years of using smokeless or spit tobacco as a player. Later this season, according to USA Today, MLB will release an informational video with Gwynn speaking posthumously about his use of tobacco.

MLB banned the use of smokeless tobacco in the minors in 1993. Commissioner Bud Selig tried to do the same in the big leagues, but the players association balked.

Studies show that dipping among big league players, coaches and managers has decreased, but it is still a big part of the game's culture. The nicotine jolt, with amphetamines banned, keeps players alert and energized through the long season.

It produces a high as well.

But there is a down side, a steep one. Maybe a Hall of Famer's video message from beyond the grave will curtail that.

It's the last big camp weekend for Ohio State until Friday Night Lights on July 25, and Urban Meyer and his staff have a bunch of elite prospects – both from the 2015 and 2016 classes – on campus. Inside is a list of confirmed visitors.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – It's the last big camp weekend for Ohio State until Friday Night Lights on July 25, and Urban Meyer and his staff have a bunch of elite prospects – both from the 2015 and 2016 classes – one campus. 

Some are participating in the camp, others are just visiting. Here's a list of confirmed visitors in Columbus on Saturday. 

• WR Christian Kirk, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro (2015) – Rated by Rivals.com the No. 3 wide receiver in his class, Kirk is on Ohio State's campus but he isn't participating in the camp. He's a four-star prospect with offers from Arizona State, Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Stanford, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC. 

• OT Isaiah Prince, Greenbelt (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt (2015) – Prince was seen walking around the camp, but he wasn't participating. Rated by Rivas the No. 6 offensive tackle in the class, Prince has scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, North Carolina State, Penn State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. 

• LB Justin Hilliard, Cincinnati St. Xavier (2015) – Ohio State's top remaining linebacker target in this year's class, Hilliard isn't participating in the camp, either. He's currently on his way to Columbus for Notre Dame, and he's narrowing in on his decision. He recently tweeted that he's going to commit at the end of June, but it may be shortly after. The Buckeyes are in the driver's seat for Hilliard. 

• RB Robert Washington, Huntersville (N.C.) Southlake Christian Academy (2016) – Though Washington hasn't yet been rated by Rivals, he is one of the best running backs in the 2016 class. He has nearly 40 offers already, including ones from Louisville, North Carolina, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee, UCLA, West Virginia and others. Washington will be a top prospect at this time next year. 

• QB Jarrett Guarantano, Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic (2016) – Guarantano is one of a handful of top 2016 quarterbacks participating in the camp. He has early offers from Arizona State, Boston College, Clemson, Louisville, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Tennessee, Wisconsin and others. He's a 6-foot-2, 190-pound pro-styler quarterback. 

• QB Brandon McIlwain, Newton (Pa.) Council Rock North (2016) – McIlwain hasn't yet been rated by Rivals, but he's also a top emerging junior quarterback. He's a dual-threat prospect participating in the camp, and he has offers from Auburn, Clemson, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin and others.